"Following the Judgment of the Royal Court today to reject an
application by myself and Mr Gino Risoli to challenge the result of the election
in District No1. St Helier on 15th October 2014, it is hoped that
the mistakes made in the conduct of the election will be lessons learnt for
candidates and Parish electoral administrators.
Election results are more than just private disputes, they
are of significant public importance. It has rightly been stated that “the
right to vote would be merely abstract if the right to sue to enforce it was
not guaranteed in law”.
The mistakes made in the conduct of the election in District
No.1 St Helier should be a reminder, to candidates and those who administer
elections, of the need for rigor, not only in the nomination process but also
throughout the election.
The responsibility to present a valid nomination paper rests
entirely on the prospective candidate. In addition, it is of concern that a
candidate’s negligent mistake in completing and presenting a nomination form
was not picked up during the process of advance checking and final acceptance,
by those with responsibility for electoral procedures in the Parish of St
Helier.
The following matters of importance flow from the electoral
challenge brought to the Royal Court:
1.
Bad practice is identified and rectified;
2.
Good practice is established;
3.
Those responsible are held to account;
4.
Lessons are learnt;
5.
The electoral process is improved for future
elections;
6.
Public confidence is maintained in the electoral
process.
The election in District No.1 must be seen in the context of
Jersey’s first General Election, whereby all three categories of States Members
faced election on a single election day. Inevitably, the added complexity
presented challenges that might have been better predicted and met. All Parishes
had to be prepared for four separate elections; Senators, Constables, Deputies
and the Referendum, all on the same day. In St Helier there were three separate elections
ultimately held. 21 candidates presented themselves for 10 Deputy seats."
