New electoral roll launched for Guernsey elections

Anyone who wants to vote in the island-wide election in June 2020 needs to register on the new electoral roll

A new electoral roll has been launched in Guernsey ahead of the first island-wide election.

The old electoral roll closed on Saturday meaning that everyone who wants to vote has to register.

The roll is also used for parish elections and those nominating candidates have to be registered on it, although candidates do not.

A new website Election2020 will provide information about the system, under which voters can cast up to 38 votes.

Adrian Lewis, Registrar-General of Electors, said "Whenever an entirely new electoral process is introduced there are challenges, but there are opportunities too.

"This is an electoral system that the island chose through the referendum, and we're hoping that will motivate the community to sign up, to engage in the democratic process and to deliver a very high turn out on the day of the election itself."

Registration forms are due to be delivered to all island households, which allows everyone at that address to register and apply for postal voting.

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The electoral roll will remain open until 30 April.

To be eligible to vote you need to be 16 years old by the election on 17 June, and have been resident in the island for two years continuously, or for five years if you have left the island and returned.

Candidates have the same residency requirements, must be aged 18 by the election and not have been sentenced by a court in the UK or Crown Dependencies to imprisonment of six months or more, whether suspended or not, without the option of a fine, in the last five years.