Contents

Part 1  4

Part 2  11

Part 3  23

Part 4  24

A LAW to amend the constitution of the States and to provide for the election of Senators, and for connected purposes.

THE STATES, subject to the sanction of His Most Excellent Majesty in Council, have adopted the following Law –

9 Senators, elected as provided by this Law;

Senators and Deputies

Division 1 – constituencies and ordinary elections

3A     Constituency: Senators

For the purpose of the election of Senators, the 12 parishes of Jersey together are a single constituency.

3B     Constituencies: Deputies

(1)     For the purpose of the election of Deputies –

(a)     Jersey is divided into the constituencies specified in column 1 of the table in Schedule 1; and

(b)     the number of Deputies to be returned for each constituency is specified in the entry corresponding to that constituency in column 2 of the table in Schedule 1.

(2)     The States may by Regulations amend Schedule 1 to –

(a)     alter the constituencies specified (including by combining, splitting or renaming the constituencies);

(b)     alter the number of Deputies specified in relation to a constituency (but the total number of Deputies must remain 28).

3C      Transitional provision for Deputies’ constituencies

(1)     This Article applies in relation to a person who, immediately before this Article comes into force, holds office as a Deputy for a constituency.

(2)     The substitution of Schedule 1 to this Law by Article 21 of the Elections (Senators) (Jersey) Amendment Law 202- (and in particular the reduction of the number of Deputies to be returned for each constituency) does not affect the person’s term of office.

(3)     This Article is deleted at the end of 31 December 2026.

          Ordinary elections for Deputies: 2022 and 2026

(4)     This Article is deleted at the end of 31 December 2026.

6B     Ordinary election for Senators: 2026

(1)     An ordinary election for Senators is to be held on 7 June 2026.

(2)     This Article is deleted at the end of 31 December 2026.

6C      Ordinary elections for Senators and Deputies: 2030 onwards

(1)     An ordinary election for Senators and Deputies is to be held in 2030.

(2)     After 2030, a subsequent ordinary election for Senators and Deputies is to be held in the fourth calendar year (an “election year”) following that in which the previous ordinary election was held.

(3)     The States may by Act appoint the date in 2030, and in each subsequent election year, on which the ordinary election is to be held.

Division 2 – holding office as Senator or Deputy

6D     Oath of office

The oath of office of Senators and Deputies, to be taken in accordance with Article 17(2)(c) or Article 54(2) of the Elections (Jersey) Law 2002, is in the form specified in Schedule 2, Part 1.

6E      Term of office

(1)     The term of office of a Senator –

(a)     begins with the day on which the person elected as Senator takes the oath of that office; and

(b)     ends with the earlier of –

(i)      the first day on which a Senator elected at the next ordinary election takes the oath of that office; or

(ii)      the resignation of the Senator taking effect in accordance with Article 6F(3).

(2)     The term of office of a Deputy for a constituency –

(a)     begins with the day on which the person elected as Deputy takes the oath of that office; and

(b)     ends with the earlier of –

(i)      the first day on which a Deputy elected for that constituency at the next ordinary election takes the oath of that office; or

(ii)      the resignation of the Deputy taking effect in accordance with Article 6F(3).

(3)     Article 8 makes provision about disqualification from office.

6F      Resignation of Senator or Deputy

(1)     A Senator or Deputy may, at any time, resign by giving written notice to the Bailiff.

(2)     The Bailiff must notify the States of the resignation at their next meeting.

(3)     The resignation takes effect on the Bailiff giving notification under paragraph (2).

6G     Casual vacancy in office of Senator or Deputy

(1)     This Article applies if –

(a)     a vacancy occurs in the office of Senator, otherwise than as a result of a Senator’s term of office ending under Article 6E(1)(b)(i); or

(b)     a vacancy occurs in the office of Deputy, otherwise than as a result of a Deputy’s term of office ending under Article 6E(2)(b)(i).

(2)     The Bailiff must notify the Attorney General of the vacancy.

(3)     The Attorney General must, as soon as reasonably practicable after receiving notification under paragraph (2), notify the Royal Court of the vacancy.

(4)     Unless paragraph (5) applies, the Royal Court must make an order under Article 17 of the Elections (Jersey) Law 2002 for an election to fill the vacancy to be held as soon as reasonably practicable.

(5)     If the vacancy occurs less than 9 months before an ordinary election is due to be held, the Royal Court must not order an election to fill the vacancy under this Article (and the vacancy may be filled at the next ordinary election).

(6)     The States may by Regulations amend the period specified in paragraph (5).

Division 3 – qualification for holding office etc.

(a)     each ordinary election, for Senators or Deputies under this Law or for Connétables under Article 2 of the Connétables (Jersey) Law 2008;

(2)     A person ceases to hold office as Chief Minister if they cease to hold office as a Senator, Deputy or Connétable under –

(a)     Article 8(2) (disqualification for office as Senator or Deputy); or

(b)     Article 4C(2) of the Connétables (Jersey) Law 2008 (disqualification).

(5)     The States may by Regulations –

(a)     make provision that is consequential on, or incidental or supplementary to, any provision of –

(i)      the Elections (Senators) (Jersey) Amendment Law 202-; or

(ii)      any Act made under Article 6(3);

(b)     make transitional or saving provision in connection with the coming into force of that Law or that Act.

(6)     The power to make Regulations under paragraph (5) –

(a)     must not be exercised after the end of 31 December 2026;

(b)     includes the power to –

(i)      amend this Law or any other enactment; and

(ii)      modify the application of this Law or any other enactment.

Schedule 1

(Article 3B(1))

Deputies’ constituencies

“ballot paper packages” has the meaning given by Article 52(7);

“constituency” –

(a)     in relation to the election of a Senator, has the meaning given in Article 3A of the States of Jersey Law 2005;

(b)     in relation to the election of a Deputy, has the meaning given in Article 3B of the States of Jersey Law 2005;

(c)     in relation to the election of a Connétable of a parish, means the parish;

(d)     in relation to the election of a Centenier or Procureur du Bien Public of a parish, means the parish;

“public election” means an election of a Senator, Deputy or Connétable;

(1B)   A person is entitled to vote in an election for the office of Senator if the person’s name is included in –

(a)     an electoral register in force for the election (for any electoral district); or

(b)     a supplementary electoral register in force for the election (for any electoral district).

(2)     A person is entitled to vote in an election for the office of Deputy for a constituency if the person’s name is included in –

(a)     the electoral register in force for the election for an electoral district that is, or is within, the constituency; or

(b)     the supplementary register in force for the election for an electoral district that is, or is within, the constituency.

13BA 2026 elections (transitional): reports on elections for Senators and Deputies

(1)     The JEA must prepare a report on the administration of each public election required under Article 6 or 6B of the States of Jersey Law 2005.

(2)     Where a report on an election is prepared under paragraph (1) –

(a)     the JEA must, before the end of the period of 6 months beginning with the day on which the election is held, submit the report to the PPC; and

(b)     the PPC must present the report to the States.

(3)     The report must include the JEA’s recommendations (if any) as to changes to the law and practice relating to elections.

(4)     This Article is deleted at the end of 31 December 2026.

(b)     the costs incurred for the purposes of a public election of a Senator or a Deputy under Article 6C of the States of Jersey Law 2005;

(ba)    the costs incurred for the purposes of a public election of a Senator or a Deputy under Article 6G of the States of Jersey Law 2005;

15A   2026 elections (transitional): cost of elections for Senators and Deputies

(1)     The following are to be met by the States –

(a)     the costs incurred for the purposes of a public election of a Deputy under Article 6 of the States of Jersey Law 2005;

(b)     the costs incurred for the purposes of a public election of a Senator under Article 6B of the States of Jersey Law 2005.

(2)     This Article is deleted at the end of 31 December 2026.

(2C)   In the case of a public election for the office of Senator, the Royal Court must also designate 1 Autorisé in each parish as the principal Autorisé for that parish in relation to the election.

17AA 2026 elections (transitional): order for elections for Senators and Deputies

(1)     The Royal Court must make an order (unless an order has been made under Article 17) for the holding of –

(a)     a public election required under Article 6 of the States of Jersey Law 2005 (ordinary elections for Deputies: 2022 and 2026); and

(b)     a public election required under Article 6B of that Law (ordinary election for Senators: 2026).

(2)     If the Elections (Appointed Day) (Jersey) Act 2025 is repealed, and the date of the 2026 Deputies election is not fixed by a subsequent Act under Article 6 of the States of Jersey Law 2005 –

(a)     the order under paragraph (1)(a) must fix the date of the election required under Article 6(2) to be held in 2026; and

(b)     the date fixed must be at least 38 days after the day on which the order is made.

(3)     The following provisions of Article 17 apply in relation to an order made under paragraph (1) as they apply in relation to an order in respect of an election under Article 6C of the States of Jersey Law 2005 –

(a)     paragraph (2)(b) to (d);

(b)     paragraphs (2A) to (4).

(4)     In relation to an order made under paragraph (1), the date fixed under Article 17(2)(c) (date for persons elected to take their oath) as applied by paragraph (3) must be as early as reasonably practicable and, in any event, within the period of 14 days beginning with the day of the election.

(5)     This Article is deleted at the end of 31 December 2026.

Nomination: Senators, Deputies and Connétables

17BA 2026 elections (transitional): application of this Part

(1)     This Part applies in relation to a public election held in 2026 –

(a)     for Deputies under Article 6 of the States of Jersey Law 2005;

(b)     for Senators under Article 6B of the States of Jersey Law 2005.

(2)     References in this Part to “an ordinary public election” include references to an election mentioned in paragraph (1).

(3)     This Article is deleted at the end of 31 December 2026.

(a)     state the office in respect of which the person is to be nominated as a candidate;

(aa)    if the nomination is for the office of Deputy or Connétable, state the constituency to which the nomination relates;

(3)     The proposer and seconders must each give a written statement of their name and the address at which they are ordinarily resident.

(2)     The JEA must –

(a)     in relation to an election for the office of Senator, give a copy of the nomination form to the electoral administrator for –

(i)      the parish in which the prospective candidate’s address given under Article 17D(1)(b)(ii) is located; and

(ii)      each other parish (if any) in which a proposer or seconder’s address given under Article 17E(3) is located;

(b)     in relation to an election for the office of Deputy or Connétable, give a copy of the nomination form to each electoral administrator for the constituency to which it relates.

(8)     In paragraph (2)(b), the reference to an electoral administrator for the constituency is a reference to an electoral administrator for a parish that alone, with other parishes, or in part, comprises the constituency.

17IB  Hustings: Senators

(1)     This Article applies in relation to a public election for the office of Senator.

(2)     The JEA must arrange a meeting, in each parish, at which each person nominated as a candidate for the election may address members of the public.

(3)     Each meeting must be held –

(a)     after the candidate announcement in relation to the election is published under Article 17H(1); and

(b)     at least 3 days before the day of the poll for the election.

(4)     The JEA must, during the nomination period in relation to the election –

(a)     determine the date and location of each meeting; and

(b)     take the steps that it considers appropriate for bringing the date and location of each meeting to the attention of the public.

(1AA) If, in the case of a public election for the office of Senator, there is at least one candidate for the office, a poll is to be held.

(2A)  In this Part, references to a parish where a poll is, or is to be, held, are –

(a)     in relation to a public election for the office of Senator, references to each parish in Jersey;

(b)     in relation to any other public election or a parish election, references to the parish that alone, with other parishes, or in part, comprises the constituency.

(1A)  In paragraph (1), “relevant person” means –

(a)     in relation to a candidate for the office of Senator, the JEA;

(b)     in relation to a candidate for the office of Deputy or Connétable for a constituency, an electoral administrator for the constituency.

(3)     In paragraph (1A)(b), the reference to an electoral administrator for the constituency is a reference to an electoral administrator for a parish that alone, with other parishes, or in part, comprises the constituency.

(4)     If there is more than 1 electoral administrator for a constituency, a report made by 1 of them under paragraph (1) discharges the obligation of the others to make a report under that paragraph.

(A1)  This Article applies if a poll for an election is to be held (in accordance with Article 22).

(1)     If a poll for a public election for the office of Senator is to be held, the JEA must –

(a)     prepare a document containing the candidate information in respect of each candidate standing at the election; and

(b)     arrange for copies of the document to be printed and distributed to each polling station in Jersey.

(1A)  If a poll for a public election for the office of Deputy or Connétable is to be held in a constituency, the JEA must –

(a)     prepare a document containing the candidate information in respect of each candidate standing at the election; and

(b)     arrange for copies of the document to be printed and distributed to each polling station in the constituency.

(1B)   In paragraphs (1) and (1A), “candidate information” means –

(a)     the candidate’s name;

(b)     the photograph of the candidate provided with the nomination form; and

(c)     if the candidate is endorsed by a political party, the name of the party.

(4)     In relation to a public election for the office of Senator, each principal Autorisé for a parish (designated by the Royal Court under Article 17(2C)) must designate 1 or more of the polling stations in the electoral districts in the parish as locations for the count of the votes cast in the parish in that election.

(5B)   Before making a designation under paragraph (4), the principal Autorisé for a parish must consult the electoral administrator for the parish.

52      Result in public elections (Senators)

(1)     This Article applies in relation to a public election for the office of Senator.

(2)     An Autorisé (or Adjoint) in charge of a counting station must (unless they are the principal Autorisé in relation to the election) forward the ballot paper packages relating to the election to the principal Autorisé.

(3)     The principal Autorisé must, when satisfied that they have all the ballot paper packages for all the counting stations in the parish, take the following steps –

(a)     add the results of the counts in the parish;

(b)     if any candidates or their representatives are present (in accordance with Article 49(5)) –

(i)      inform them of the number of votes recorded, for each candidate, in the counts in the parish; and

(ii)      show them the spoilt ballot papers.

(4)     After the principal Autorisé has taken the steps specified in paragraph (3) at the counting station –

(a)     any person who was entitled to vote in the election in the parish is entitled to be admitted into the counting station; and

(b)     the principal Autorisé must announce –

(i)      the number of valid votes recorded for each candidate in the count in the parish; and

(ii)      the number of valid votes recorded for none of the candidates, if that option is included in the ballot paper under Article 24(3C)(b).

(5)     The principal Autorisé must inform the Judicial Greffier of the numbers announced under paragraph (4)(b).

(6)     The Judicial Greffier must –

(a)     add the results of the counts in each parish and determine the result of the election;

(b)     at 4 p.m. on the day following the poll, at the Judicial Greffe, inform the candidates and their representatives who are present of the results of the election; and

(c)     as soon as reasonably practicable after the end of the period within which a recount may be requested under Article 52AA or, if later, after a recount requested under that Article has been conducted –

(i)      announce the results of the election; and

(ii)      declare the total number of votes cast and the number of valid votes obtained by each candidate.

(7)     In this Article and in Article 52A, “ballot paper packages” means –

(a)     the packages prepared under Article 50(2); and

(b)     the packages prepared under Article 48(4)(b), associated with the votes counted in that election at the counting station.

52A   Result in public elections (Deputies or Connétables) or parish elections

(1)     This Article applies in relation to –

(a)     a public election for the office of Deputy or Connétable (but not for the office of Senator);

(b)     a parish election.

(2)     For an election for which there is more than 1 counting station in the constituency –

(a)     an Autorisé (or Adjoint) in charge of a counting station must (unless they are the principal Autorisé in relation to the election) forward the ballot paper packages relating to the election to the principal Autorisé as soon as reasonably practicable after the count has been carried out under Article 49; and

(b)     the principal Autorisé must, when satisfied that they have all the ballot paper packages for all the counting stations in the constituency, add the results of the counts in the constituency.

(3)     For any election to which this Article applies, the principal Autorisé must, if any candidates or their representatives are present (in accordance with Article 49(5)) –

(a)     inform them of the number of votes recorded, for each candidate, in the count in the constituency; and

(b)     show them the spoilt ballot papers.

(4)     For any election to which this Article applies, after the principal Autorisé has taken the steps specified in paragraph (3) at the counting station –

(a)     any person who was entitled to vote in the election in the parish is entitled to be admitted into the counting station; and

(b)     the principal Autorisé must announce –

(i)      the number of valid votes recorded for each candidate in the count in the constituency; and

(ii)      the number of valid votes recorded for none of the candidates, if that option is included in the ballot paper under Article 24(3C)(b).

(1AA) An unsuccessful candidate in an election for the office of Senator or their representative may, within 24 hours after being informed of the result, request a recount on the ground that the difference mentioned in paragraph (1) is 1% or less of the higher number (as an alternative to requesting a recount under paragraph (1)).

(3)     A recount requested in an election for the office of Senator must be conducted by the Judicial Greffier in accordance with Article 52B.

52B   Procedure for recount by Judicial Greffier: Senator elections

(1)     This Article applies if the Judicial Greffier is required, in accordance with Article 52AA, to conduct a recount in an election for the office of Senator following a request under Article 52AA(1) or (1AA).

(2)     The Judicial Greffier may engage assistance in the recount.

(3)     An Autorisé and their Adjoints must comply with any request made by the Judicial Greffier for assistance in conducting a recount in the electoral district for which the Autorisé was appointed.

(4)     The Judicial Greffier may, for the purposes of the recount, open the packages containing the used ballot papers and the counterfoils of the used ballot papers.

(5)     The Judicial Greffier must announce the result of the recount.

52C    Procedure for recount by Autorisé

(1)     This Article applies if –

(a)     an Autorisé is requested by the Judicial Greffier, under Article 52B(3), to assist in conducting a recount in an electoral district; or

(b)     a principal Autorisé conducts a recount following a request under Article 52AA(1).

(1)     Each principal Autorisé for an election for the office of Senator must prepare and sign a return for the election, by reference to the conduct of the poll and the votes cast in the parish for which that principal Autorisé is designated.

(1A)  The principal Autorisé for an election for the office of Deputy or Connétable, or a parish election, must prepare and sign a return for the election.

(5)     In relation to an election for the office of Senator, the obligations in paragraphs (2), (3) and (4) apply in relation to each principal Autorisé in relation to the poll conducted in the parish for which they are designated (and not in relation to the election as a whole).

72B   Consequential, transitional and other matters: Senators

(1)     The States may by Regulations –

(a)     make provision that is consequential on, or incidental or supplementary to –

(i)      any provision of the Elections (Senators) (Jersey) Amendment Law 202-; or

(ii)      any Act made under Article 6(3) of the States of Jersey Law 2005;

(b)     make transitional or saving provision in connection with the coming into force of that Law or that Act.

(2)     The power to make Regulations under paragraph (1) –

(a)     must not be exercised after the end of 31 December 2026;

(b)     includes the power to –

(i)      amend this Law or any other enactment; and

(ii)      modify the application of this Law or any other enactment.

(1)     A candidate’s election expenses must not exceed –

(a)     in relation to a candidate for election for the office of Senator, the total of –

(i)      £4,146; and

(ii)      13 pence for each person entitled to vote in the election in accordance with Article 2(1B) of the 2002 Law;

(b)     in relation to a candidate for election for the office of Deputy or Connétable, the total of –

(i)      £2,517; and

(ii)      13 pence for each person entitled to vote in the election in accordance with Article 2(1A) or (2) of the 2002 Law.