A referendum on electoral reform was held in Jersey on 15 October 2014, alongside general elections. Voters were asked whether elected constables should continue to automatically become members of the States.Referendum Vote.je Their continued automatic membership was approved by 62% of voters.
Background Constables are elected heads of the 12 parishes in Jersey, and at the time of the referendum they automatically became members of the States upon their election as Constables. A non-binding referendum was held on electoral reform in April 2013, which put forward three proposals on how members of the States were elected, including one in which the Constables were removed from the States. This option was defeated in a second round of voting by a proposal that involved retaining the seats of the Constables.Referendum on the States Assembly composition States of Jersey In July 2013 the proposals were rejected by the States by a vote of 28–21.Jersey politicians reject referendum reform move BBC News, 17 July 2013
In November 2013 members of the States agreed to a second referendum on the subject of electoral reform.Jersey States opts for second voting reform referendum BBC News, 5 November 2013 Initially two questions were proposed: whether members of the States should all be classified with the same status, and whether Constables should lose their automatic membership. However, in December the legislature decided to have only one question on the referendum.Jersey States set one question for reform referendum BBC News, 20 December 2014 The Privileges and Procedures Committee of the States had planned for the referendum question to be:Jersey public to be asked over constables in referendum BBC News, 16 July 2014
The States later voted to have one question, on the status of elected constables. It read:
Campaign The "yes" campaign, in favour of retaining the automatic membership of constables was supported by Chief Minister Ian Gorst.Yes campaign Vote.je
Results
ChoiceVotes%For15,06862.45Against9,06137.55Invalid/blank votes160–Total24,289100Registered voters/turnout62,53938.84Source: Vote.je
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