Jersey Election 2022: Number of females elected rises from 14 to 21

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Image caption,

More than 50% of deputies in Jersey's new government are women

The 2022 election has seen more women elected to Jersey's government than ever before.

A total of 51% of the newly-elected deputies are women, and women now make up 43% of the overall government.

Carina Alves, Inna Gardiner, Carolyn Labey, Helen Miles and Kristina Moore topped their constituency polls.

Ms Moore, who said she would put herself forward for chief minister, said the increased representation of women in the States was welcomed.

Image caption,

Kristina Moore topped the polls in her constituency

"[There are] some fantastic female candidates who haven't at all campaigned simply because they were women but because they were able people who had a vision that they shared with islanders and have seen that and got behind them with some really fantastic support," she said.

Islanders voted in 21 women, 19 deputies and two constables, and 28 men.

Image caption,

Carina Alves topped the polls in St Helier central with 961 votes

Lucy Stephenson, a newcomer and Independent candidate, said she hoped she and other elected women would help shape Jersey's future.

She said: "It's really amazing, quite honestly, to see so many strong women elected to our next states assembly. I think it's a real victory for diversity and hopefully it means really positive things for the future as well... I'm really positive that this heralds the start of a new type of collaborative politics, where we can all work together to try and solve some of the big issues."

Image caption,

Inna Gardiner (right) topped her constituency poll with 1,268 votes and said it was a "dream" to be elected

Another new face elected, Beatriz Poree, of Reform Jersey, said more women in the States would be "an asset for Jersey".

"I believe women feel so much stronger now and happy to engage with politics... what a really great place to be, let's just take stock," she added.

Image caption,

Beatriz Poree came third in the St Helier South poll with 679 votes

Political analysis by BBC Jersey political reporter Freddie Miller

The next chamber is going to look fairly different.

Not only will it include new faces, it will also include more women - 21 - than ever before.

At the 2018 election there were 14 elected.

Many of the new candidates come from different, diverse backgrounds.

And after receiving more votes than any other candidate, could Kristina Moore become Jersey's first female chief minister?

All will depend on negotiations in the coming days.

But no matter what happens, the next States assembly will arguably be more representative of its island than it ever has before.

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