How do you become a Deputy?

Getting elected

Deputies are elected every four years, unless a by-election is needed. This is when only one new Deputy needs to be found to fill a seat, for example if a member of the States resigns.

Ballot-BoxIf you want to be a Deputy, you must:

  • be 18 years or older
  • be registered on the Electoral Roll
  • have lived in Guernsey on the date of your nomination as candidate
  • live in Guernsey (for at least two years before the election)
  • have not been in prison for a period of six months or more (during the five years before the date of the election)

 

Next, you must find two people on the Electoral Roll you want to stand in to nominate you. These are people who think you would make a good Deputy.

A nomination form should be completed and sent to the Bailiff. You will now be a candidate, hoping to be elected.

Now, the election campaign can begin. This is when you try to convince the people of the Bailiwick that you would be a good Deputy and that you would represent them fairly in the States.

To do this, you might try some of these:

  • Prepare a manifesto: This could be a booklet or even just a sheet of paper in which the candidate explains what they think about a range of topics; for example: schools, hospitals or parks.
  • Attend ‘meet the candidate’ events: These are meetings where candidates make short speeches and answer questions.
  • Call door to door: Knocking on doors to speak to people face-to-face at their homes. This gives islanders the chance to discuss directly with the candidates the issues which affect them.
  • Place posters around the electoral district.
  • Place advertisements in the local newspaper.
  • Build a profile: This may include creating a website, using social media (Twitter/Facebook/other) and volunteering for high profile roles in the community.

 

Each candidate will get space on the States website and be given two pages for their manifesto in the candidate manifesto booklet which gets delivered to every home on the Electoral Roll.

At the end of the election campaign, the electors vote for the candidates they would like to be their Deputies. 38 Deputies will be selected and will hold their position for four years.