No vetting of candidates

Wednesday 07 October 2020

Election candidates have been required to disclose criminal convictions, however no further vetting has taken place prior to the first-ever island-wide election.

Guernsey voters have a bumper ballot sheet with 118 candidates to choose from, however no additional checks have been required of those bidding to become States Deputies compared to previous district elections.

There was no requirement for candidates to declare whether they had any non-criminal sanctions. Neither did they have to submit themselves to a standard or above DBS check, which had been suggested last year as a way to enhance vetting under the new island-wide voting system.

“All candidates are required to complete a declaration of criminal convictions at the time of nomination but the States does not do any additional vetting,” said Colette Falla, the Registrar General of Electors, in response to questions from Express. 

“SACC’s policy letter on the 2020 General Election, debated in April 2019, stated that it had been suggested to it that candidates should be required to have a standard or enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) criminal record check.

Pictured: A suggestion by civil servants last year that screening of candidates should be increased was not taken forward by politicians. 

“The committee unanimously concluded that it was satisfied with the requirement for candidates to make a declaration as agreed in 2016 and that it would not propose DBS checks for candidates. No amendments were submitted on this matter.”

People cannot stand for election if they have been handed a prison sentence (suspended or not) of six months or longer by a court in the Channel Islands, Isle of Man or United Kingdom, in the last five years, unless that sentence was subsequently quashed or reduced below six months on appeal. 

Ms Falla said that non-criminal, professional sanctions are considered as having been “dealt with by a regulatory or professional body” and that it is “unlikely there would be a reason for holding a further political inquiry.”

Pictured: If anyone were to make a false declaration of a criminal conviction, it could be punished with a prison sentence. 

Last month, a candidate in a States of Alderney by-election had her name struck off the ballot sheet by authorities after she was deemed not to be ordinarily resident in the island. Ms Falla said false declaration over residency or past criminal convictions would result in action being taken against the person culpable. 

“If a person does not meet the residence requirements, they would not be eligible to take office,” she said.

“If a candidate makes a false declaration of his/her criminal convictions, it is a criminal offence that potentially carries a prison sentence and/or fine.”

Express submitted questions on the subject on 17 September.