Elections
The Douzaine
The Douzaine is a democratically accountable body which is responsible for the administration of the parish. This includes the supervision of the polls at elections, granting permits to build on or near to roads, issuing dog licences, ensuring that hedges are cut and checking that streams are free flowing. They organise the collection of rubbish, administer the parish cemeteries, look after the street lights, floral arrangements, heritage pumps, street seating and vote in Jurat elections amongst a whole host of other areas within the parish.
Constables
There are two Constables in every Douzaine, elected to serve for terms of three years and may stand for re-election. The Constables do not necessarily need to be Douzeniers, but invariably are. The Constables carry out the day-to-day administration of parochial affairs, on behalf of the parish and as directed by the Douzaine.
Douzeniers
There are 20 Douzeniers in St Peter Port, the largest number in any parish, elected to serve for a term of four years and eligible to stand for re-election.
Candidates
Who can stand?
You must
· be over 18 years old
· be on the electoral roll,
· have been a resident in the island for two years immediately before the date of nomination, or for five years in total at any time before the date of nomination.
Candidates must not
· have been sentenced by a court in the UK, Channel Islands, or Isle of Man to imprisonment for a period of six months or more, whether suspended or not, without the option of a fine, in the last five years.
Constables and Douzeniers shall only hold office for so long as they continue to be resident in St Peter Port. They can only be removed from the roles by order of the Royal Court.
The Election Process
Candidates need to be proposed and seconded by two residents of St Peter Port who are on the electoral roll. The forms are available from the Constables’ Office in Lefebvre Street and a copy will be available to download on the website.
Anyone on the island is entitled to attend the meeting so candidates can ask ‘non-parish’ friends, family, and colleagues to come to support them, but only resident St Peter Port parishioners who are registered on the electoral roll may vote.
The Autumn Parish Meeting addresses both Ecclesiastical (church) and Secular (parish) matters. It agrees the appointment of auditors, confirms the vacant election positions, and gives those standing as candidates the opportunity to introduce themselves in a short speech of approximately two minutes.
Candidacy Nomination and Parish Meeting Procedures
To stand as a candidate, individuals must be formally nominated. This process requires each candidate to be proposed and seconded by two residents of St Peter Port who are listed on the electoral roll. Nomination forms can be obtained from the Constables’ Office located on Lefebvre Street, and a downloadable copy will also be available on the official website.
Attendance at the parish meeting is open to everyone on the island. Candidates are welcome to invite friends, family, and colleagues, including those who do not reside in the parish, to show their support during the meeting. However, it is important to note that only residents of St Peter Port who are registered on the electoral roll are eligible to vote.
The Autumn Parish Meeting serves several important functions. It covers both Ecclesiastical (church) and Secular (parish) matters, including the appointment of auditors and the confirmation of vacant election positions. Additionally, this meeting provides an opportunity for candidates to introduce themselves to parishioners. Each candidate is invited to deliver a brief speech, typically lasting about two minutes, to present their case for election.
Election – immediate or deferred
The election may take place at the parish meeting, particularly if there are fewer candidates than there are vacancies. However, if seven or more parishioners vote in favour of a deferral, the election will NOT be held at the parish meeting and a contested election will take place two weeks after the parish meeting.
If the vote takes place at the parish meeting
Registered electors are given a voting slip to record their choice of candidate(s). They will have as many votes as there are vacancies. The count happens immediately, and the result is announced that evening.
If the vote is deferred
A notice will appear in the Gazette Officielle, which will invite all parishioners on the electoral roll to vote in person at a polling station on the second Wednesday following the parish meeting, the third Wednesday of November.
A copy of the electoral roll will be available online to all candidates from the Business Support Officer at the States of Guernsey Committee for Home Affairs. Contact the Constables office for further details if required. Candidates are allowed to spend up to £700 campaigning. This money is not refundable, and the constables will require a declaration and all receipts of monies spent within two weeks of the election.
Campaigning in a deferred election
Candidates may start campaigning as soon as they have been nominated but most people begin once it is clear that there will be a contested election.
Candidates can produce their own manifesto which will be posted on the parish website and their social media. It is then up to the candidate to canvas for support from within the parish. They can do so using social media, door to door, leaflets and posters.
The Douzaine will likely arrange a 'Meet the Candidates' session on the Saturday in between which is worth attending if you can.
On Polling Day
The ballots will be open from 10am to 8pm, after which the votes will be counted at the Constables Office and the results announced on the steps of the office later that evening.