FAQs

The next Guernsey General Election will take place on Wednesday 18th June 2025.

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.

The States has agreed to the creation of a new Electoral Roll ahead of the 2025 Election, this will open later this year and further details about how to register to be on the Roll will follow at that time.

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.

An amendment to any proposition put to the States. Any States Member can propose to change or add new proposals to a Policy Letter that is being debated, and this is done by way of laying an amendment. Two States' Members must both agree to lay an amendment, one as the ‘proposer’ and the other as the ‘seconder’.

The Bailiff is the island’s Chief Judge, who presides over meetings of the States of Deliberation and the States of Election, when doing so they are known as the Presiding Officer. They also represent Guernsey on and off Island in non-political matters.

This is the means of giving notice to States Members that a meeting of the States of Deliberation or States of Election is taking place. It contains all the Policy Letters and Propositions designed to enable the States to make Resolutions.

A debate is held when the States need to decide on a matter. Usually, some members will want one thing and another group will want another. At the end of a debate, members usually vote on what to do.

The Deputy Bailiff presides over meetings of the States of Deliberation when the Bailiff is unavailable.

The official report of what is said in every States’ Meeting.

Legislation is another word for laws. Some, but not all, States decisions result in a change in law or the introduction of a new law. Often the States will first make a decision on a policy, which will result in Law Officers drafting new legislation, which will then return to the States' Assembly again for further approval. 

This is a special kind of law. The States of Deliberation comes up with the idea for the law, but this time, the Privy Council does not need to approve it. However, these kinds of laws cannot bring in new taxes or change laws which are already in place.

A report brought by a Committee asking the States to provide them with direction or a decision on proposals.

This is an organised group of people with the same ideas or who have the same political positions. They work together to get elected so that their party’s plans are more likely to be implemented. It is not necessary to be a member of a political party to stand for election.

A question that a Committee puts to the States within a Policy Letter.

While most proposals are put to the States of Deliberation for debate through the States’ Committees, it is possible for any group of seven Deputies to put proposals forward. They can do this by preparing a requête (a kind of report that is very similar to a Private Member's Bill in the UK).

The formal decisions made by the States.

This is the name of Guernsey’s Parliament. It is made up of the Bailiff, HM Procureur, HM Comptroller, 38 Deputies and 2 Alderney Representatives.

The States of Election chooses new Jurats. It is made up of the Bailiff, HM Procureur, HM Comptroller, the Jurats, the Rectors, the Deputies and representatives of each parish Douzaine.

This is when two Deputies ask for a debate to be delayed to a later date.

This is when two Deputies ask for a debate to be delayed until after some action has been taken.