Candidates' pre-election spending under spotlight
CAMPAIGN finances were highlighted – including the ‘pre-election period’ – by international experts monitoring Guernsey’s general election.
‘Whilst election expenses are defined and limited for the period when the election campaign is “live” and candidates have been nominated, no such limitations or reporting requirements exist for the period before an election, when a candidate or party has indicated its intent to contest an election,’ said the report by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association British Islands and Mediterranean Region.
‘This period could potentially see high levels of spending by election campaigners without any oversight or limitation,’ added the report.
With the advent of party politics, this could become an ‘area of concern’ – with ‘limited oversight of their funding, finances or campaign expenditure except to make an annual declaration of their accounts to the nominated officer – the Greffier.
This could lead to a ‘significant imbalance’ in parties’ campaign parity, and richer citizens and ordinary citizens seeking election in future.
Political parties should be subject to oversight, said the monitors, with their finances evaluated on an annual basis.
‘Individual candidates’ pre-election fundraising and expenditure should also be assessed and recorded. Reporting should not be onerous but simply conducted by the production of evidence’.
It was also recommended boundaries of pre-election and annual expenditure should be clearly defined.
‘The limitations of expenditure outside the formal period of nominated candidature could be within similar boundaries to those defined for the election period, except with no additional public subsidy’.
The monitors also suggested complaints and appeals for all stages of the electoral process be considered.
‘Detailed procedures should be set out regarding the authority responsible to receive and adjudicate upon disputes arising in relation to voter registration, candidate nomination, voting and counting and all other aspects of the electoral cycle,’ said the report.
‘Fair procedures must apply to any such regulations, with clear deadlines providing for the submission of complaints, making appeals and delivery of decisions, as well as rules of standing to lodge complaints.’
The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association British Islands and Mediterranean Region conducted a virtual election expert mission to the Guernsey general election in October.
This was the first time that international election observers had been invited by the States of Guernsey.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, research was carried out online, and interviews with a wide range of stakeholders were conducted using digital meeting platforms.
