Senatorial cull was driven by Members on minor mandates
Wednesday 26th January 2011, 2:57PM GMT.
Senator Ben Shenton.
THE decision to reform the States by reducing the number of Senators was made by a collection of Members who owe their seats to a minority of votes.
The 28 politicians who voted to cut the four Senatorial seats were elected with 44,000 votes – fewer than half of the total of the 21 politicians who wanted to keep them in the States.
Senator Ben Shenton, who was one of those against the reduction in the Islandwide mandate and who will be standing for re-election in October, has calculated the total number of votes on both sides of the debate.
He says that the 21 States Members on the ‘losing’ side had a total of 90,973 votes, whereas the 28 on the ‘victorious’ side boast a combined mandate of 44,071.
Read the full story in the Jersey Evening Post. Click here for subscription details. Individual editions are also available online.
Travel
To, from and around the Island
Airport Arrivals/Departures
Harbours Arrivals/Departures
Bus Information/Timetables
JOIN US ON...
Facebook and Twitter
Follow us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Got a story? Get in touch
KIT 4 CLUBS
Win a share of £10,000
2012 is the year of the London Olympics and to celebrate this great event the Jersey Evening Post, in association with sponsors Ogier is giving all sporting clubs a chance to win a share of £10,000.
This is Jersey
Jersey Evening Post
Useful links
Well said Ben. You will have my vote.
Report abuse
So the number of votes cast for certain positions is important to Shenton when it comes to his job, but unimportant on a plethora of issues like GST, who the Chief Minister is etc etc?
I urge everyone not to vote for this guy in October.
Report abuse
Not sure what point the good Senator is trying to make.I must have missed the transition to some form of proportional representation in our government. I have never seen this type of calculation made with any other vote in the past. One elected member equals one single vote Senator Shenton.Although we are of cause used to a group of officials in high office making all the major decisions without ever having gained a single vote from the people of Jersey.
Report abuse
Did they know what they were voting for…?
Report abuse
Maybe everybody was against the cherry picking approach?
Report abuse
Once again Shenton’s argues in an inconsistent and confused manner. Very recently he was arguing that there is nothing wrong with our electoral system … the fault lies, he said, with the quality, or rather the lack of it, of states members.
If Shenton is now arguing that our current system is structurally unsound because it allows some members to get elected with only a few hundred votes, then he should be supporting PPC who are introducing reforms to correct this anomaly.
This all smacks of desperation as we approach the October elections.
Report abuse
“If Shenton is now arguing that our current system is structurally unsound because it allows some members to get elected with only a few hundred votes, then he should be supporting PPC who are introducing reforms to correct this anomaly.”
That would be the PPC chaired by the constable of St Mary, who was elected with 404 votes.
Turkeys don’t vote for christmas, but you can’t stop gluttons voting for the gravy train.
Report abuse
It is a wonder to see all the democrats there are in the States; Pierre Horsfall,Ben Shenton, Freddie Cohen, etc.
How long will it be before Phillip Bailhache and Frank Walker start to demand reform of the house?
Report abuse
Hey Shenton why not push to get the Constables out? Crowcroft got in on a standing vote cos no one ran against him ,,, Constables have NO place in the states,,,,,
Report abuse
flip, flop, flip, flop……
Report abuse