Back on the Ballot: Who’s standing for Senator?

The islandwide vote returns this year as Senators make a comeback to Jersey’s electoral system, three years after the role was abolished.

The change narrowly passed following a marathon 13-hour States debate last year, securing the minimum support required to overhaul the system.

Nine Senatorial seats will now be contested, with the number of Deputies reduced accordingly – one seat cut from each of the island’s nine constituencies.

Nominations open from 20 to 22 April, though several candidates have already declared.

Express took a look at who’s in the running so far…

Deputy Lyndon Farnham

Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham is currently serving as Deputy for St Mary, St Ouen and St Peter, as well as holding the island’s top political office.

He became Chief Minister partway through the current political term following a successful vote of no confidence in his predecessor, Deputy Kristina Moore.

Deputy Farnham first entered the States Assembly in 1999 as a Deputy for St Saviour, a role he held until stepping away from politics in 2005.

He returned to the Assembly in 2011 as a Senator, before being re-elected in both the 2014 and 2018 islandwide elections.

After the Senatorial mandate was scrapped ahead of the 2022 election, he was successfully elected as a Deputy in the St Mary, St Peter and St Ouen constituency.

Throughout his political career, Deputy Farnham has held several senior roles – including Deputy Chief Minister and Economic Development Minister, in addition to his current position as Chief Minister.

He has also been a consistent advocate for the reinstatement of the islandwide Senatorial mandate.

Deputy Ian Gorst

Deputy Ian Gorst currently represents the St Mary, St Ouen and St Peter constituency, and serves as External Relations Minister.

He first entered the States Assembly in 2005 as Deputy for St Clement, a role he held for two terms before being elected as a Senator in 2011.

He retained the Senatorial seat in both the 2014 and 2018 elections, before returning to the role of Deputy following changes to the electoral system ahead of the 2022 election.

Deputy Gorst has held a number of senior positions during his time in office, including serving as Chief Minister for two terms.

He has also previously held the roles of Treasury Minister and Social Security Minister.

Deputy Gorst stood for Chief Minister following the vote of no confidence in Deputy Kristina Moore in January 2024, but lost to Deputy Lyndon Farnham by 27 votes to 22.

In his current ministerial role, Deputy Gorst has responsibility for External Relations, including oversight of the island’s financial services engagement internationally.

Deputy Mary Le Hegarat

Home Affairs Minister Mary Le Hegarat is currently serving as Deputy for St Helier North.

She was first elected to the States Assembly in 2018, returning for a second term in 2022.

Deputy Le Hegarat initially served as Chair of the Health and Social Security Scrutiny Panel, before sitting on the Privileges and Procedures Committee and the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Scrutiny Panel.

In 2024, she was appointed Minister for Justice and Home Affairs. She has since overseen a number of reforms aimed at strengthening the island’s justice system and public safety framework – including introducing a package of five new laws to address crimes associated with violence against women and girls.

On fiscal policy, Deputy Le Hegarat has advocated for a long-term strategic approach to government spending – backing a stable tax framework and indicating her support for retaining the current rate of income tax, while opposing the introduction of capital gains or inheritance taxes.

Deputy Steve Luce

Deputy Steve Luce currently represents St Martin and Grouville, serving as Environment Minister.

He was first elected to the States Assembly in 2011, representing St Martin for 11 years, before being elected in the combined St Martin and Grouville constituency at the 2022 election.

Over the course of his time in the Assembly, Deputy Luce has held several senior roles – including serving as Chair of both the Economic and International Affairs Scrutiny Panel and the Environment and Infrastructure Scrutiny Panel.

He previously served as Environment Minister between 2014 and 2018, before returning to the role in 2022, where he has overseen a range of policy developments in areas including food regulation and environmental protection.

Recent work under his ministerial portfolio has included legislation introducing mandatory allergen labelling, updates to food-hygiene laws, and the introduction of a food-licensing scheme, alongside proposals to expand the island’s marine-protected areas.

Deputy Luce has said he supports the return of islandwide Senatorial representation and believes ministers should, where possible, hold Senatorial mandates.

If re-elected, he has indicated he would seek to continue as Environment Minister – with priorities including the delivery of a new Island Plan, Marine Spatial Plan, Energy Strategy and Water Strategy, as well as supporting the development and diversification of the rural and marine sectors.

Deputy Sam Mézec

Reform Jersey leader Sam Mézec currently represents St Helier South, serving as Housing Minister.

He was first elected to the States Assembly in 2014 at just 23 years old following a by-election in St Helier, before retaining his seat in the subsequent general election later that year.

He went on to be elected as a Senator in the 2018 islandwide election, before securing the highest number of votes in his district at the 2022 election.

During his time in the Assembly, he has held several senior roles, including Children’s Minister.

As leader of Reform Jersey since its formation, Deputy Mézec has also been confirmed as the party’s prospective Chief Minister candidate should he be re-elected.

He is currently serving as Housing Minister, where his focus has included addressing housing pressures, alongside wider policy work relating to affordability and social outcomes.

Deputy Mézec has said the next government should prioritise tackling the cost of living, improving infrastructure, and strengthening accountability around public spending, and has outlined his view that Jersey needs long-term structural change to address these challenges.

Deputy Helen Miles

Deputy Helen Miles currently represents St Brelade. She was first elected to the States Assembly in 2022 and has since held several senior ministerial and scrutiny roles.

She previously served as Home Affairs Minister under former Chief Minister Kristina Moore, before returning to the backbenches following the vote of no confidence in January 2024.

During her time as a minister, Deputy Miles established the Violence Against Women and Girls Taskforce, introduced a new three-year work permit to support the hospitality sector, and negotiated a scheme aimed at increasing the number of French day travellers to the island.

She has also chaired the Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel and served as vice-chair of the Scrutiny Liaison Committee, as well as leading the Parishes and Government Review Panel, which published recommendations on strengthening Jersey’s parish system.

Before entering politics, Deputy Miles spent more than 30 years in Jersey’s public service, working across Customs and Immigration, Probation and Aftercare, and the States Police, and later as a Director of Policy.

She has also been involved in the voluntary sector, including helping to found Autism Jersey, where she previously served as vice-chair.

Deputy Miles has said her focus is on addressing the cost of living, improving access to affordable housing, and ensuring public spending is controlled, alongside maintaining Jersey as a safe and affordable place to live.

Deputy Elaine Millar

Treasury Minister Elaine Millar is currently serving as Deputy for St John, St Lawrence and Trinity.

Deputy Millar was first elected to the States Assembly in 2022, following a career in senior roles across finance and law, and previously served as Jersey’s first female Viscount.

She served as Social Security Minister in Deputy Kristina Moore’s government, before being appointed Treasury Minister in 2024 under new Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham.

In her current role, Deputy Millar has been responsible for overseeing the island’s finances, including the development and presentation of the government’s Budget.

She said that she felt the government had “achieved quite a lot” and that she “would like to come back and try to do more”.

Bernard Place

Former nurse and civil servant Bernard Place became the first non-sitting States Member to officially declare for a Senatorial seat earlier this month.

Mr Place has held several senior roles in healthcare, including serving as project director for a previous iteration of the island’s hospital project.

Standing as an independent, he has said he would take a collaborative approach to politics and, if elected, intends to focus on Scrutiny rather than seek a ministerial role.

Mr Place has set out priorities including tackling the cost of living, improving access to housing, and supporting the island’s healthcare system, with a focus on what he describes as “practical reform” and delivering outcomes for islanders.

He said he is standing to help restore confidence in public services through “clear, deliverable change”, adding that he plans to publish further policy details during the campaign.

Gabriel Raimondo

Victoria College student Gabriel Raimondo declared his ambition to become the youngest-ever Member of the States Assembly.

He is yet to decide whether he will contest a Deputy or Senatorial seat.

Mr Raimondo will attain the minimum qualifying age for candidates when he reaches his 18th birthday ten days ahead of polling day, said he wanted to give young people a voice in the island political arena.

“Lots of young people leave the Island after finishing school and feel they don’t have anything to come back to, so my ambition is to represent them,” he said.

Although he was among the speakers at last year’s launch event for new political movement Value Jersey, Mr Raimondo said he would run as an independent candidate.

He has indicated that his campaign priorities will focus on addressing the cost-of-living pressures affecting many islanders, and removing some of the current barriers discouraging entrepreneurship and small businesses.

Mr Raimondo acknowledged that campaigning will coincide with his A-Level studies, but has said he is confident he can balance both commitments.