However, it hasn’t been plain sailing since then with the 2016 election not happening because too few candidates were nominated, just 12 for 17 vacant seats. An election due to be held last year was also unsuccessful when just one candidate was put forward for one of five vacant seats. And in early 2018 an election was cancelled because no one was nominated.
The Speaker of Chief Pleas, Arthur Rolfe confirmed to Express that nine candidates are needed for next month’s ballot to happen and by the end of yesterday the island already had 11 candidates.
The nomination period doesn’t close until 14:00 today so there may even be more candidates.
Pictured: Lord Keen, who recently visited Sark.
If the election does go ahead and the result is accepted by the island, it could allay some external fears about Sark’s governance.
Just prior to the electricity black out threats being made, the UK Minister with responsibility for the Channel Islands appeared to be building up to staging a political intervention. Lord Keen, who visited the islands earlier this year, had written to Chief Pleas and the Lieutenant Governor outlining his concerns.
His concerns were raised with big question marks over the planned election and the fact that Chief Pleas had failed to agree its budget. That prompted Lord Keen to ask if there has been “a breakdown of good government in Sark” which could lead to international assistance being given – or forced – on the island.
Pictured top: Sark will go to the polls next month.