The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) has written a report on the ‘over complicated’ nature of Jersey’s electoral system. The Election Observation Mission also said that the number of uncontested ballots undermines the principle that elections are fully genuine. They also said the same for the disparity in equality of voting across districts and low voter turnout across the Island.
Voters in Jersey could use computer touch-screens to vote in the future following changes made in the States. The new measures are designed to make it easier for people to vote in public elections. Politicians approved studies to decide whether electronic voting at polling stations was something the island needed. The measure is one of several changes being brought into the Public Elections Law.
Politicians may become involved in the work of in a commission looking at States reform in Jersey. Privileges and procedures (PPC), which sets rules for politicians, backed overturning a bar on them taking part. The PPC, which set up the Electoral Commission, challenged the States’ backing of ex-deputy Daniel Wimberley’s argument it should be independent.
On Wednesday, the PPC also backed equalising the number of politicians and non-politicians sitting on it. The non-politicians would almost certainly be local, but the positions would be open to people who do not live in Jersey but have a connection with the island.