Vale by-election is set for 19 October

The Committee for Home Affairs has submitted proposals for it to take place on 19 October, at a cost of between £30,000 and £40,000.

It is needed following the death of Deputy Dave Jones last month.

The committee has also recommended that the electoral roll, which reopened following the April general election, remain open beyond the close of the nomination period.

That would be not only for this by-election, but for elections in the future.

'Traditionally the electoral roll has been closed before the date by which nominations for election must be delivered to the presiding officer,' it said in its policy letter.

'The committee considers, however, that for the purposes of the required by-election and future elections, the closing date for the electoral roll should be extended beyond the close of the nomination period so as to provide as much opportunity as possible for islanders who have not already done so to register on the electoral roll.

'In this respect, the committee recommends that the electoral roll might conveniently close on 15 October for the by-election as it is already scheduled to do ahead of the annual parochial elections in November.

'It should also be noted that applications for postal votes for the election period will close on 14 October.'