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Inna Gardiner has been elected Deputy for St. Helier District 3/4 in last night’s by-election with 391 votes out of a total of 1,600.
Ms Gardiner will be sworn-in this Friday at 10:00 in the Royal Court, unless a recount is called, and will first sit in the States Assembly on 12 March. The turnout was a little over 18%.
She joins Deputies Steve Ahier, Mike Higgins and Mary Le Hegarat, who were all elected last year in May. The by-election for the single seat in the district was called following the death of the former Deputy Richard Rondel.
Voters in St. Helier district 3/4 had to make their choice from 10 candidates - former district Deputy Guy de Faye and St. Helier Deputy Nick Le Cornu; candidates from last year's general election - Inna Gardiner, Geraint Jennings, Anthony Lewis and Gordon Troy - and newcomers Andrea Mallet, John Baker, Francesca Ahier and Lyndsay Feltham.
By-election St Helier District 3/4 from Bailiwick Express on Vimeo.
Video: The returning officer, Lieutenant Bailiff Antony Olsen, announcing the results.
The results were announced by the returning officer, Lieutenant Bailiff Antony Olsen, just before 21:30 at Rouge Bouillon School.
Ms Gardiner topped the poll with 391 votes, while Reform candidate Lyndsay Feltham came second with 324 votes. Former journalist Ant Lewis came third with 245 votes. Only six papers were spoilt.
The complete results:
Out of the 8,367 voters on the register, only 1,600 cast a vote, representing a turnout of just 18.65%. In last year’s election, the turnout had been almost twice that, 34.90%, with 2,833 voters casting a vote out of the 8,119 on the electoral register.
Ms Gardiner and her supporters cheered with joy when she was officially declared the winner by Jurat Olsen. Speaking to Express shortly after the announcement, the new Deputy-elect said she was "very very happy" and couldn't believe she had won."I wanted to win but when it's happening and you are listening to the numbers... Oh my god! It's really happening," she admitted.
"I am definitely up to the job," she continued. "I have more energy coming. I am very, very excited and grateful for the opportunity to work for Jersey."
Pictured: Ms Gardiner with her family and supporters, which included Jack Rondel.
Ms Gardiner vowed to look after senior citizens:
"I would like to use into effective use of the facilities that are already available and services that are already available and really deliver to the end-client that feels some disconnection," she explained.
"There are lots of things that can be done," she added, especially in her district where she wants to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety, something she described as a priority. "We have lots of problems with traffic, with air pollution," she said.
Video: Ms Gardiner said she was "very, very happy" to have won the by-election.
Ms Gardiner would also like to add parks to the area, as well as community hubs. She also admitted having realised other issues during her campaign and urged voters to reach out to her if they have any concerns.
"Within a month, I will put my surgeries together as I promised," the newly-elected deputy added. "People will come and speak with me. It's very important that we have all the possible ideas together, none of us is smart enough. The people are smart and we can just put it together and deliver them."
Before she gets into the States Chamber, Ms Gardiner says she hopes to spend some time with her family, "just to sit and have a chat and drink together."
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