WITH the 2026 elections in the offing, perhaps we need a new way for prospective politicians to engage with voters. Given that our recent turnout in public elections has been ranked right at the bottom of 41 OECD countries, clearly it is time for more radical action.
What exactly would we create, if we were starting with a blank sheet of paper?
Clearly it would need to be accessible by all, around-the-clock, and in any location, so that we had the ability to share our thoughts spontaneously. Essentially, it should be very easy and free to use, with an exceptionally low bar to entry.
Secondly, it should enable ‘two-way’ communication, so that candidates can easily communicate their views, receive feedback, and then respond to it, in order to create an open conversation.
Further, others should be able to join in that conversation too, so that on topics of real interest to the Island, it becomes community-wide.
Thirdly, those conversations should remain continuously in public view, so that they serve as a record of the views expressed.
Fourthly, moderation of what’s said should be kept to a minimum, in order to maximise freedom of expression.
And finally, the forum should have as many users as possible; in fact, it would benefit from near total reach into the community, so that we all have the chance to see what other people are saying, learn about and understand the issues which matter to Jersey, and have the chance to express our views.
If we could create such a platform, then perhaps we would have taken a massive step towards resolving the perennial local conundrum of exceptionally low voter turnout.
Except of course, we already have it. In fact, with the various social media platforms on offer, we have lots of them.
All may not work exactly as set out above, but the general principles apply throughout. And rather than just stimulating engagement as envisaged (although that does clearly happen too) they have also, in many cases, become a vehicle for abuse – which then has the reverse effect, particularly for those in the public eye.
The kneejerk reactions are to call for bans or regulation – which are only likely to be ineffective, expensive or a combination of the two.
If social platforms didn’t exist, then we would create them for all the reasons set out above; how we should use them is up to us, both by applying the simple rule of only saying what we would be happy to repeat to someone in person – and calling out bad behaviour when we see it.
