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Okay, yes this is an article about voting, well more precisely about making sure you can vote - did I hear some of you yawn there? Well give it a try it - you could just change your world... The importance of casting your vote – whatever you believe, whoever you support – is something you’re going to be hearing a lot about in the coming months. The States have just launched their Register Vote Count campaign to get everyone eligible to vote on the Electoral Register in time for this year’s elections. If you’re thinking about finding out who’s definitely standing for election before you register to vote this year – sadly your strategy (although cunning) will backfire as the authorities have deemed that electors (you & me) have to be on the list by noon the day BEFORE the final nomination meetings. So if you were NOT registered by midday on Monday 12 September to vote for potential Senators, then you won't be able to vote in that election. However, if you register by noon on Monday 24 October, then you WILL be able to place your cross against a would-be Deputy’s name. Get me on that list!
If you’re a here-and-now person – why not download the registration form, or find out more information at the new vote.je website. Who do you want in the house?Ìý Most of us will never be involved with politics, but it does of course affect us all. In recent years we’ve got used to being asked to vote people off various celebrity game shows or reality television series. Voting in an election is the same kind of thing, but in reverse. Choosing the people who best represent your interests and opinions is something we’ve come to take for granted or even neglect. Figures suggest that as many as 20,000 eligible people in Jersey aren’t registered to vote; people whose choices could make a massive change to our government later this year. It has to be worth considering that the six year term served by Jersey’s Senators really is a substantial one. If you’re a carefree 18 year old now, the six guys who get voted in later this year will still be there when you’re 24, you might just be be a married home owner with kids by then… Senatorials Made Simple In October you’ll be able to vote for up to six of Jersey’s 12 Senatorial seats. Senators represent the whole island (everyone can vote for any them) and sit in the States for a six year term.
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At present, only six of the Senators are elected every three years. So those who are elected in 2005 will be in office until 2011, whilst the six Senators who aren’t up for re-election this year will be again in 2008. So this year you will get to vote for your six favourite of the candidates standing for Senator, in essence once vote per seat in the States Chamber. However, you do not have to use all six votes. Deputies De-mystified There are currently 29 Deputy seats in the States of Jersey. Deputies represent their parishes, or districts within the island’s more populated parishes. Deputies are all elected for three year terms which, unlike that of the Senators, do not overlap. So this year all 29 of the Deputy seats are up for grabs again following the election in 2002. Grouville, Trinity, St John, St Martin, St Mary, St Ouen and St Peter have one Deputy each.Ìý St Clement and St Lawrence both have two Deputies, St Brelade (2 districts) has three, St Saviour (3 districts) has five, whilst St Helier (3 districts) has ten Deputies in total. In the Deputy elections, islanders have one vote for each seat up for grabs. So, in seven parishes, only one vote can be made. If there are, say, two seats available, then up to two votes are allowed.
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The ´óÏó´«Ã½ is not responsible for the content of external websites What Next? As the elections draw closer we'll be profiling all the candidates on this site - so you've got the facts you need to make up your mind. But like we said, if you're not registered you might as well log off and do something else less boring(?) instead... | 
