Constable Karen Shenton-Stone has called for the move, claiming that doing so would allow voters to register their ‘frustration’ at not being given any voting options by submitting a formally ‘spoilt ballot’.
If the amendment is approved, voters in an uncontested election would still be able to vote and would be given the choice between the candidate and ‘none of the above’.
It is not clear what the outcome would be if ‘none of the above’ received more votes, but one option suggested in the proposition is the ordering of a new election.
At the last general election 14 of the 49 States Members were elected unopposed, including Mrs Shenton-Stone, who is St Martin Constable.
The move is among a number of suggested amendments to proposals for electoral reform lodged by the Privileges and Procedures Committee last month.
In her amendment, Mrs Shenton-Stone said: ‘I am of the belief that a mechanism should be included in our voting system to ensure that Islanders have the final say in any election, regardless of how many candidates there are, and not allow the final outcome of elections to be decided when nominations close.
‘It is for this reason that I believe that we as an Assembly should consider providing a viable “none of the above” option with formalised consequences on all ballots that contain only the minimum number of candidates contesting a seat.’
It adds: ‘There is currently no opportunity for voters to state whether they approve or disapprove of a candidate running unopposed, and it is therefore favourable to provide voters with the option to protest the sole candidate should they see fit.’
Under the PPC’s proposals Jersey would be divided into nine voting districts, each returning three to five Members, and the office of Senator would be removed.
So far four amendments have been lodged to the proposition, including one by Constable John Le Maistre calling for any reforms only to be valid if approved by the public of Jersey in a referendum.
Deputy Jeremy Maçon would like to see the proposals changed so that the number of Members is increased from 49 to 52, arguing that this would allow more equal representation across the proposed new voting districts.
Constable Len Norman has lodged an amendment which would see the parish boundaries retained and proposals from the Clothier Report of 2000 re-tabled, including for only one type of States Member to be elected.
Senator Lyndon Farnham has also lodged a proposition relating to the proposed changes, calling for any electoral reform needing to be approved by a ‘super-majority’ of two-thirds of States Members.
The proposition on electoral reform is due to be debated during the States sitting due to start on Tuesday 1 December.
