It was noted that there are no clear guidelines or a code of conduct to address such behaviour.
A few candidates also reported issues placing political ads on Facebook.
‘Everywhere is grappling with social media and the election, we see this is a lot of jurisdictions because there’s a lack of regulation,’ said election analyst Mark Stevens.
‘It came from us talking to the candidates.
‘I think many of them would have welcomed a code of conduct and that was definitely felt that it would have been useful.’
Merce Castells, an election analyst from Spain, added that the challenge of a code of conduct was always how to implement and enforce it.
‘In Guernsey, you don’t even have it, so it’s a show of commitment that candidates are wiling to abide to some behaviour,’ she said.
A preliminary report has found that the election demonstrated notable progress in fostering a more inclusive and representative political environment.
A total of 82 candidates registered to run, and a record 33% of the candidates were women.
The candidate pool also included openly LGBTQ+ individuals, disabled people and advocates from across a broad social spectrum.
Many candidates commented that the introduction of the island-wide system, together with a reduction in the limit for campaign expenditure, impacted their ability to independently reach voters across the island.
There were also some complaints about additional coverage for incumbent candidates as the States is still functioning until 30 June.
The election observation mission found that the 34-day campaign was competitive and incident-free.
It praised an efficient, well-organised and well-administered election process that ‘reflected a strong commitment to democratic principles’.
More praise was given to the competence and commitment of polling officers across the island.
Island-wide voting was a dominant theme of conversation during the mission’s meetings with various stakeholders.
While it took no position on the voting reform, the initial statement said that it has ‘introduced challenges for candidates reaching the electorate through face-to-face campaigning’.
In addition to the preliminary statement, a detailed final report, which may include recommendations, will be published within two months of election day.
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