Guernsey election 2025: What you need to know

Thousands of people are expected to cast their ballots in the Guernsey General Election on 18 June.

The poll is the first chance for voters since October 2020 to decide who should represent them to make key decisions for the island.

Those heading to the polls or sending in postal votes can cast up to 38 votes - with each vote worth the same.

It is the second time there has been an entirely island-wide election - here are some of the key things to know.

A new electoral role system was introduced for this election, meaning even if you registered prior to 1 December 2024 you must re-register to vote.

This can be done online or by using the household registration form which has been sent to every residence in Guernsey.

Applications must be received by 00:00 BST on 30 April.

To be eligible to vote, you must be at least 15, but you will not be able to vote until you are 16. You must also have been ordinarily resident in Guernsey for at least two years immediately preceding the date of registration, or at any time before the date of registration for at least five years in total.

Those who are registered can also apply for a postal vote, which can be done when registering or by resubmitting your registration before 29 May.

They must be returned by election day and the voter is responsible for ensuring it is posted on time - and if this was not done they can be put into the Sir Charles Frossard House postbox or given to a polling station official before 20:00 on 18 June.

To be able to stand as a candidate at the 2025 election you must be aged 18 and over, registered on the Electoral Roll and ordinarily resident in Guernsey on the date of nomination as a candidate.

Additionally, there are rules with regard to whether you have been sentenced for a crime or imprisoned that may change your eligibility to stand.

The electoral system changed to island-wide as a result of the 2018 referendum on Guernsey's voting system.

The candidate nomination period opens at 09:00 on Monday 12 May and closes at 16:30 two days later.

The top role - known as the chief minister of Guernsey but formally the president of the Policy and Resources Committee (P&R) - comes with an annual salary of just under £85,000.

Presidents of committees are paid just over £65,000 and all other deputies are paid about £48,000.

Advance polling is open on Sunday 15 June and Tuesday 17 June from 08:00-20:00.

Polling on election day also runs from 08:00-20:00.

During that time, media coverage is restricted to uncontroversial factual accounts - including #dogsatpollingstations, which has become a British election-day tradition, with social media users sharing snaps of their pooches.

Once the votes have been counted, we will know who the new deputies are.

There could be a recount called if the difference between the number of votes cast for the candidate elected with the lowest number of votes and the number cast for unsuccessful candidate is less than the lower of 50 votes or 1% of the votes cast for the successful candidate.

The unsuccessful candidate or candidates have 24 hours, after the results are announced, to ask for a recount - which will only happen once.

The old States officially ends and the new States is due to be sworn in to office on 09:30 on 1 July and at the same meeting the chief minister is due to be elected.

On the following day, the other four members of P&R are elected.

The remaining committee presidents are due to be elected on 4 July and followed by the members of each committee on 7 July.

The first meeting at which business will be discussed is scheduled for 15 July.

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