Few contested parish elections disappoints Women in Public Life
A GROUP which campaigns for women to stand for public office has said it is disappointed that there are so few contested parish elections this year, with only St Peter Port and St Martin’s set to call upon the electorate to decide seats on the douzaine.
In all the other eight parishes the number of candidates matches the number of vacant seats.
However, Shelaine Green, the chair of Women in Public Life, took heart that the number of female constables was going up.
‘While everyone who has put themselves forward in this year’s elections is to be thanked and applauded, it’s disappointing to see so few contested elections. They’re an important part of the democratic process. We’re really pleased to see two new female constables in St Sampson’s and the Forest, which will take the proportion of women constables from 20% to 30% in one jump.
‘However, the number of new women standing for douzenier has fallen substantially from 19 last year to eight this year – although eight is still more than the five who stood in 2019.’
The island’s douzaines are democracy at the grassroots level, making sure their communities are safe, tidy and well-run. Last year, following the island-wide deputies’ election, there was a huge surge of interest in serving on the douzaine, which now seems to have fallen away. Some parishes had increased marketing, with drop-ins, big banners and advertising. Ms Green said their activities to promote the elections, and the number of women they had supported in their considerations of becoming a candidate had been the same this year as last year.
‘So it seems the key difference is that last year’s election was held just after the general election.
‘All that communication about Guernsey’s first island-wide election stirred up interest in the parish elections too.’
