Who are the candidates?
Eleven candidates will be on the ballot tomorrow, including three former deputies, six former candidates, a couple of new faces to island politics, and one representative of a political party.
The candidates are as follows: Luke Graham, Rob Harnish, Sam Haskins, Julie-Anne Headington, Ross Le Brun, Carl Meerveld, Tamara Menteshvili, Stephen Rouxel, Nikki Symons, Andy Taylor, and Jonathan Wilson.
Does this by-election really matter?
There were more than a few dissenting voices when proposals for a by-election to replace disgraced former deputy Jonathan Le Tocq were put forward. In fact, eleven members voted against it being held when the plans went before the States back in February, even after early estimates of it costing the taxpayer £250,000 were revised down to £75,000.
What impact one new deputy will have on this political term remains to be seen, but whoever is elected will be dropped straight into one of the biggest decisions facing the States this year - and likely for several years, with a debate on the tax review and the potential introduction of GST expected to take place this summer.
What do the candidates stand for?
With no formal manifesto booklet at this by-election, the Guernsey Press has sought to provide the best opportunities for the public to engage with the candidates’ politics.
Our senior reporter Matt Fallaize sat down with all 11 for in-depth podcast interviews and hosted a traditional hustings event for a live audience of voters. You’ve still got time to listen to the interviews you are most interested in or watch back the hustings in full. We have included chapter markers for the topics raised, including GST, the future of the Sixth Form Centre, and gender-based discrimination.
We also put written questions to the candidates, the answers to which were published in our special supplement. Read that online here.
Where is voting taking place?
Islanders registered on the electoral roll can vote in person at any of the four polling stations across the island, regardless of which parish they live in.
The polling stations are Beau Sejour, St Martin’s Parish Hall, Castel Douzaine Room, and Vale Douzaine Room, all of which will be open for voting from 8am-8pm.
Completed postal votes can also be dropped off to any polling station before 8pm.
What time will the winner be declared?
Counting will begin as soon as polls close at 8pm, but unlike recent general elections when electronic counting machines have been used, this will all be done by hand.
A result is expected late evening or into the early hours of Thursday morning.
What is the turnout expected to be?
Turnout at last year’s island-wide general election was 72%, out of 27,293 eligible voters. The last time there was a by-election, in a parish, 35% of eligible voters turned out.
A very low turnout this time could be the final encouragement the States Assembly & Constitution Committee needs to propose another referendum on our electoral system.
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