Presidents ousted as voters seek change

GUERNSEY’S first island-wide election ushered in a swathe of fresh new faces as big-hitters fell.

New candidate Mark Helyar of The Guernsey Party placed fourth, receiving 11,408 votes. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 28780100)

Education, Sport & Culture president Matt Fallaize, Home Affairs president Mary Lowe and Environment & Infrastructure president Barry Brehaut all lost their seats.

Turnout was up markedly on the 2016 election, at nearly 80%.

It was a mixed night for those aligning themselves to parties.

The Guernsey Partnership of Independents secured 10 seats, including poll topper Deputy Gavin St Pier, who got 13,925 votes and second-placed Deputy Heidi Soulsby, who polled 12,782.

The centre-right Guernsey Party took six seats, with their leader Mark Helyar the most popular new face in the States, finishing in fourth place with 11,408 votes.

But it was a total wipeout for Alliance Party Guernsey as they failed to take a seat.

Candidates and their loved ones were at Beau Sejour until the early hours of this morning to hear the declaration of the newly elected States Members. (Picture by Adrian Miller, 28780014)

The majority is, though, held by true independents with 22 seats in the new States.

Eight women were elected, falling from 12 in the current Assembly.

Early predictions from officials of an evening declaration proved wide of the mark.

The count began at 9am but did not finish until 12.30am, with candidates milling around Beau Sejour long before the declaration was made at 1am.

Central returning officer Gordon Snell declaring the results of the 2020 General Election in Guernsey. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 28780140)

Those hopeful of making a comeback after a spell out of politics had a rough night, with only former Environment minister Yvonne Burford getting a seat.

A total of 11 sitting deputies were deposed – joining the three main committee presidents who went were Mark Dorey, Sarah Hansmann Rouxel, Shane Langlois, Jennifer Merrett, Jeremy Smithies, Jane Stephens, Rhian Tooley and Development & Planning Authority president Dawn Tindall.

It was a particularly bruising night for Deputy Fallaize, who secured just 3,445 votes as he appeared to suffer the consequences of being the driving force behind the two-school model as well as the controversy surrounding the appointment of a key member of staff. He topped the poll in the Vale in 2016 with 2,758.

The island's longest-serving politician Mary Lowe has been ousted. (Picture by Sophie Rabey, 28780117)

Deputy Lowe was the most experienced States member in the last Assembly, but her Home Affairs committee has been the subject of two critical independent reports in the last four years.

Deputy Carl Meerveld will face an anxious 24 hours though. He was 38th with 6,475 votes, but the narrow margins mean there might today be a request for a recount.