Reform Jersey is offering a “fairer and more democratic compromise” to plans to bring back Senators – which would see them replace Constables in the States Assembly.
Deputies Sam Mézec and Tom Coles have today lodged amendments to an upcoming proposition on reintroducing Senators.
The Reform Jersey members are proposing that twelve Senators should replace the Constables in the States Assembly, rather than reducing the number of Deputies.
A statement published on behalf of the political party said that States Members should have the choice to re-introduce an element of island-wide voting “without making our voting system more complicated and less representative by returning to the unpopular three-tier system that existed before the last election”.
The statement continued: “Reform Jersey is therefore offering an alternative compromise that would maintain our two-tier system by substituting Constables in the States for Senators.
“This would allow voters to elect twelve States Members on an island-wide basis, as well as electing members in districts with Deputies distributed in proportion to population density.
“Constables would be able to focus on their Parish duties or seek democratic election to the States via another office.”
Reform Jersey is also proposing that an independent Boundaries Commission be established to “prevent politicians from gerrymandering the distribution of Deputies across the districts in the future”.
The party said: “As a further backstop, we are proposing that States Members may not tinker with the makeup of our Assembly in the future without proposals for change being overseen by an independent Boundaries Commission.
“This would avoid partisan gerrymandering and ensure changes are made on the basis of evidence rather than political opportunism.”
The role of Senator was banished by a States Members’ vote in April 2021, with a new make-up for the Assembly – comprising 37 Deputies and 12 Constables – adopted as the format with effect from the following year’s general election.
But Treasury Minister Elaine Millar recently lodged a proposition to resurrect Senators this political term.
Deputy Millar’s proposition, which is set to be debated next week, includes provision for nine Senatorial positions, with a corresponding reduction of nine Deputies: one fewer for each of the nine electoral districts.