Become a Deputy

Eligibility to hold the office of People's Deputy is set out under Article 8 of The Reform (Guernsey) Law, 1948 (as amended).

To be able to stand as a candidate at the 2025 Election, you must:-

• • be 18 years or over;
  • be registered on the Electoral Roll;
  • be ordinarily resident in Guernsey on the date of nomination as a candidate;
  • have been ordinarily resident in Guernsey for two years immediately before the date of nomination, or for five years in total at any time before the date of nomination;
  • in the last five years have not been sentenced by a court in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man to a period of imprisonment of one year, being detained whilst serving said sentence or whilst unlawfully at large.

Yes. To be able to stand as a candidate at the 2025 General Election, you must be registered on the Electoral Roll.

A person is “ordinarily resident” in Guernsey during any period if throughout that period they were living lawfully in, and had their home in, Guernsey; and for these purposes a person may be ordinarily resident in Guernsey if they have no fixed or permanent address.

Yes, but if you are successful in the 2025 Election, before taking the oath of office and oath of allegiance which every Member of the States of Deliberation is required to take before the Royal Court, you must cease to be a States’ employee or public officer. A States employee means a person employed by the States of Guernsey – whether on a full-time or part-time basis – in such circumstances that the States of Guernsey has the right to require that the employee shall devote the whole of their services to such employment during all hours of work normally applicable.

The workload of a Deputy will vary depending on the number of Committee memberships held, but for many Deputies, the role involves a very significant time commitment.  In addition to Committee meetings and States Meetings, Deputies will be expected to regularly attend briefings and events on a wide range of topics.  There is also a significant amount of reading and research involved.  Deputies will also be expected to commit time to media engagements and to engaging directly with constituents.

Deputies may have other jobs and business interests alongside their role in the States, but it is important to be aware that it could be very challenging to meet the expectations of a traditional full-time ‘9 to 5’ job while also meeting the commitments of a Deputy.

Guernsey Deputies are expected to uphold high standards of professionalism, integrity, and ethical conduct while serving in their respective departments, prioritising the public's welfare and interests.

Deputies must also adhere to a Code of Conduct

The Pan-Island Commissioner for Standards is responsible for considering complaints about the conduct of States Members and Ministers in Jersey and States Members in Guernsey in relation to their respective Codes of Conduct. 

Guernsey Deputies are encouraged to engage with the public through various means like meetings, consultations, and public forums, but specific requirements may vary.

A Deputy is the name for a Guernsey politician. Deputies sit in our parliament, The States of Deliberation. Their primary job is to serve the people of Guernsey by attending States meetings and making decisions in the best interests of the people. A Deputy must take an oath of allegiance to His Majesty the King, his heirs and successors according to the law, in which they must promise to perform their duties to the States “well and faithfully”. A Deputy must act in the public interest, and following the Deputies’ Code of Conduct, must act with selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.

Being a Deputy can be a time-consuming job. Our politicians can come from any background and should be prepared for a diary full of States meetings, committee meetings, replying to emails and letters, meeting with the public, media interviews, reading billets and preparing notes for future meetings. From time to time, a Deputy may be asked to represent Guernsey on an international platform, so it can also involve travel away from the Island.

Find out in more detail about the role of Deputies in the "Being a Deputy" section of this site:

Being a Deputy

The best way to find out about what it’s like to be a Deputy is to speak to an existing one. Current Deputies are listed on www.gov.gg/yourdeputies. You can also contact the Election Office for help. They’ll be able to provide you with some further information and advice.

The Nomination Form will be available to download here. Each form must be signed by a proposer and seconder whose names must be on the Electoral Roll. Completed forms must be returned to the Bailiff's Secretary between 9am on 12 May 2025 and 4pm on 14 May 2025. Please note that forms will not be accepted before or after that period.

Candidates will be given benefits-in-kind by way of space on this website and being allocated pages for their manifesto in the candidate manifesto booklet which will be delivered to every home on the Electoral Roll.

Candidates will be set a spending limit of £3,000 during the regulated period (31 March to 18 June 2025), 50% of which they may assign to a party or association to which they are affiliated. Expenditure by a political party or association on promotion of the party and its policies may not exceed £3,000 during the regulated period.

The nomination form will be available for download in due course.

Each form must be signed by a proposer and seconder whose names must be on the Electoral Roll. Completed forms must be returned to the Bailiff's Secretary between 9am on 12 May 2025 and 4pm on 14 May 2025. Please note that forms will not be accepted before or after that period.