Guernsey referendum to be held on island-wide voting

Currently members are elected from seven electoral districts

People in Guernsey are to be asked if they support the introduction of island-wide voting.

Deputies were asked if they supported all members being elected on an island-wide basis from the election in 2020.

This was later amended to be put to the public in a referendum first, before any changes are made.

If the public opt in favour, each elector would be given the same number of votes as there are deputy seats and would elect the whole assembly.

The States Assembly and Constitution Committee has to come back to the States to explain how the referendum and future elections would work as soon as possible.

There is currently no referendum law in Guernsey but members hope the referendum could happen in 2017.

Deputy Elis Bebb was opposed to island-wide voting, arguing it could damage the States' links with the island's parishes.

He told the States: "Remove that parish link and I can guarantee you that there would be a clamour that 'we will not assist with elections any more'."

States members are currently elected from seven electoral districts, mostly based on the parish boundaries.

Calls for an island-wide vote have been made regularly since the office of conseiller was ended in 2000, but all previous attempts failed.