UNSUCCESSFUL Senatorial candidates could be given a second bite at earning a seat in the States Chamber under a move to hold Islandwide elections on a different day to Deputies and Constables.
Earlier this year, Members approved the principle of reinstating Senators after they were axed ahead of the 2022 election.
However, the Assembly still has to give final approval next month if the Islandwide mandate is to be restored in time for next summer’s polling day on Sunday 7 June.
And Deputy Montfort Tadier is calling for the Senatorial election to be held just over a month earlier on Sunday 3 May, allowing candidates who fail to secure one of the nine Islandwide positions to fight for one of the other 40 seats on offer.
In an amendment to the debate to approve the return of Senators, the St Brelade Deputy said: “Those candidates who are unsuccessful but have a good enough showing could then run for Deputy (or Constable) knowing that they will probably have to moderate their expectations for a more senior role if elected, but still have an opportunity to contribute, if that is what the electorate of their district/parish wanted.”
He argued that holding Senatorial elections at the same time as Deputies and Constables would likely “dilute” attention from the parish votes while holding multiple election dates would give Islanders a “greater democratic choice” and ensure the Assembly does not “lose out on talented and experienced Members who otherwise may have got back in as Deputy”.
“If Senators are re-instated, then incumbent Deputies wishing to continue to serve as a States Member will have to judge whether to take the gamble of running for Senator (and perhaps pitching themselves for a more senior executive role) or being seen to play it safe by running for their Deputy seat, and creating a perception that they have less of a mandate for a more senior role which they may in reality be perfectly qualified for.”
Holding one single election day for all seats is a relatively new thing, having first taken place in 2011. Until then, Senators were elected in advance of the Deputy and Constables contests.
Deputy Tadier estimated that the additional cost of holding multiple elections day would be in excess of £121,000 but he argued that the benefits of doing so “outweighs any financial cost that would be incurred”.
The St Brelade Deputy added: “This amendment offers the opportunity to mitigate some of the issues that arise by reinstating Senators, such as making the system more complex and potentially distorting the result because of the imbalance in placement of candidates. By providing this mitigation a new coalition can be formed that will soften the divisiveness of the subject and allow States Members from all sides of the political spectrum to get back to focusing on the issues that matter to Islanders.”
Under Deputy Tadier’s amendment, nominations for Senators would open on 7 April 2026, with polling day on 3 May. The nominations for Deputies and Constables would then open on 11 May before the elections for those seats on Sunday 7 June – as currently planned.
The final debate on the reinstatement of Senators is due to take place at the first States sitting after the summer recess – due to begin on Monday 8 September.
