The matters were due to be decided at the last regular States meeting, but had to be withdrawn because there were not enough members present to meet the quorum to allow changes to the laws governing electoral issues.
It will need a minimum of seven votes in favour to carry the proposals from Policy & Finance, which should then start to kick in at the elections at the end of this year, when the vacant seats will be reduced from five to three.
But States member Alex Snowdon claims that such a discussion is premature and he intends to vote against the proposal.
The politician, who also represents his island in the States of Guernsey, says the decision should wait until the work of the new Bailiwick Commission on the constitutional relationships between the islands has been completed.
‘This is being taken in the wrong order,’ he said.
‘We don’t know if the role of the States of Alderney is going to be bigger, smaller, or about the same in future. It should wait until the Bailiwick Commission’s report is made public and then there should be a full public consultation on the matter.’
Mr Snowdon also fears that if the proposals were to be carried it would be likely to cause confusion over the status of the island’s next election, due in November.
Under the current constitution those elections would be for five States members to serve four-year terms. They would also only serve a two-year term so that an entirely new States could be elected at one time in 2028.
Mr Snowdon said he believed it was far from clear if the changes to the electoral law could go through all of their stages before this November’s election, leading to uncertainty for both potential candidates and the electorate.
The proposals raised many questions and comments at a people’s meeting held prior to the last States meeting, with several islanders expressing reservations.
An additional people’s meeting will take place tonight before the matter comes up at tomorrow’s special States meeting.
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