First decide what your votes are for

With the official manifesto book as their bible, aided by piles of pamphlets, websites and assorted Press supplements they are equipped for the task.

Many will have attended at least one hustings and seen some candidates live in action. A few will have had a one-on-one chat on the doorstep.

The question now is two-fold. Not just who, but how many?

For, as with the referendum that gave birth to the island-wide election, each islander is faced with a tactical choice.

How many of their votes should they use?

Contained within that is another question: what do they want to achieve?

If their aim is to stack the Assembly with as many reasonable candidates as possible then the answer would be to vote for as many as they can, preferably all 38.

That way the voter gives themselves their best chance of keeping out the bad apples.

It might mean holding their nose a little and voting for a candidate who does not tick all the boxes. Rare is the voter who has 38 would-be deputies they regard as ideal.

The second approach is to be more selective, to vote only for the best. These would-be candidates will make great decisions and represent their views to the letter.

It might mean just a handful of ‘ovals’ are filled in. In many ways it seems like a powerful vote. It gives those chosen few a hefty boost without helping their competitors.

But, as with the IWV referendum, the second approach comes at a risk. Thousands of voters in October 2018 opted to vote only for the status quo, Option B. They did not want any form of island-wide voting and chose not to use their transferable vote.

When Option B lost in round three they no longer had a voice. They had lost the ability to shape what sort of IWV might be best.

Picking just a few candidates carries a similar danger. It does nothing to ensure the mediocre beat the plain bad.