AFTER last night’s Senatorial nominations, the Constables get their turn tonight.

Nomination meetings are being held in nine parish halls for candidates for Constable this evening. The elections are being moved to a single day to coincide with the Senatorial election. It is hoped that this will get more voters to turn out to vote for their parish Constables.

But not all nine posts are going to be contested. St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft, Grouville Constable Dan Murphy and St John Constable Graeme Butcher have refused to stand down and fight their seat again. All 12 Constables agreed initially to step down, but only on the basis of having their terms extended to four years. When the States reversed that decision last year, the three rebel Constables changed their minds.

Of the parishes where the sitting Constables have agreed to curtail their terms, contested elections are expected in St Mary, St Lawrence and St Peter, and it has been rumoured that there will be a contested election featuring two candidates in St Clement. The meetings in St Brelade, St Clement, St Lawrence and St Saviour start at 7.30 pm, and the meetings in St Martin, St Mary, St Ouen, St Peter and Trinity start at 8 pm.

Parish Constables listen to proceedings on Senatorial nomination night. Picture by Tony Pike (00589180)