Island-wide voting process 'need discussion' says Parish

Doubts have been expressed by the Vale Douzaine that island-wide elections can be made to work unless electronic voting is introduced at the same time.

The results of the recent referendum were discussed by douzeniers at its last meeting and many reservations were expressed about the new method of selecting deputies being adopted without any clear understanding of the mechanics behind the new system.

As a result of this, douzeniers instructed Senior Constable Richard Leale to publicise these concerns via the website and to request that the States Assembly and Constitution Committee (SACC) discussed the arrangements with the parishes as a matter of urgency.

Keen to help
'The Douzaine has no issue with the democratic decision that was reached and is keen to retain its historic involvement in the electoral process,' he said. 'However, the absence of clarity on how the ballot will be held and how the results will be counted remain a real worry to members.'

Like the other parishes, the Vale makes polling stations available at its own expense and volunteers staff them from 8am until polls close at 8pm. More volunteers and scrutineers then count the votes cast – which already takes hours with just six seats and fewer than double that number of candidates – before notifying the Bailiff of the results.

'The logistics of parishioners dealing with 90 or 100 candidates for 38 seats on the ballot form in the polling stations and the time this could take each individual is seen by Douzeniers as a potential problem,' said Mr Leale.

'They are more worried though over the complexities of the counting, the time that will potentially take and the demands there will be on volunteers.'

e-Voting needed
For that reason, the parish hoped that SACC would start its deliberations about the new system with early discussions with the parishes and the part electronic voting would play in the island-wide selection of deputies.

'A number of Douzeniers feel quite strongly that if it is possible to fill in your income tax return safely and securely online and take several days to do so, it has to be possible to vote electronically as well,' said Mr Leale.

'The States agreeing to introduce simultaneous electronic voting in the States Assembly will reinforce that view – as will its stated desire to introduce more e-Government.'