More people register for referendum than last election

Tuesday 09 October 2018

Guernsey's first ever referendum could be a success, if everyone who has registered to vote turns out and has their say on island wide voting tomorrow.

A number of people are known to have already voted using a postal ballot, with more registering in total than for the 2016 States election.

The public are voting on how Deputies should be elected to the States of Guernsey.

A 40% turn out is needed before the current States have to seriously consider which ever option wins, out of the five on the ballot paper.

They offer a mix of full and partial island wide voting, the current district system or a modified district system. Each voter will be able to cast five votes, ranking them between one and five, based on each individual's preferred options and favoured second, third, fourth and fifth choices.

Pictured: The five choices which will be on the ballot papers during tomorrow's referendum. 

Registration on the Electoral Roll and applications for postal votes to be able to participate in the referendum have now closed. 31,685 people were on the electoral roll when it was closed.

That means that to meet the voter threshold, 12,746 votes need to be cast. 

A record number of postal vote applications were received, with 2,906 applications being sent in by the deadline. The final applications received for postal votes have been sent out and should have been received by applicants by Monday 8 October.

The number of postal vote applications stands at 9.1% of the entire Roll, and 22.8% of the required voter turnout. 

Deputy Roffey, President of the States’ Assembly & Constitution Committee, was pleased with the response to the referendum so far.

“We have seen a record number of postal vote applications which is fantastic. If everyone who applied for a postal vote returns their ballot paper, this will represent over 20% of the required turnout. 

"I would remind everyone that their postal votes need to be completed and received by the Chief Counting Officer by noon on Wednesday 10 October, 2018. 

"If you realise on the day of the referendum that you have not posted it back, you can always drop it into Sir Charles Frossard House by 12 noon on 10 October”.  

Polling stations will be open between 08:00 and 20:00 for people to vote in person tomorrow. Registered voters can use any polling station within the electoral district in which they are registered.

While the majority of polling stations remain the same as they were for the 2016 General Election, there have been some changes in the Castel and the West that voters in those districts need to be aware of. 

• People in the Castel will be able to cast their vote at the Douzaine Room and the King George V Centre, Rue Cohu, Castel
• There will only be one polling station in St Saviour at the Community Centre in Neuf Chemin
• In St. Pierre du Bois, the polling station will be at the Community Centre in Rue des Brehauts, which has a greater level of accessibility than the previous venue used

Maps for all the polling stations have been created and are available to download on the gov.gg/referendum page.