Election advice from current States Members

On Tuesday 24 June 2025, Vote.je held a special event for potential election candidates to help prepare for the 2026 elections.

Connétable of St. John, Andy Jehan; Connétable of St. Saviour, Kevin Lewis; Deputy of St. Helier Central, Catherine Curtis; and Deputy of St. Brelade, Helen Miles took part in a panel discussion and Q&A session. Attendees had the opportunity to ask their own questions to find out more about what it’s like to campaign for election and to work as a States Member.

Following the Q&A session, the attendees were led on a tour of the States Chamber. This included a brief run down of the history of the States Assembly and how it has changed over time. Attendees sat in States Members’ seats and were given the chance to use the voting buttons used by Members to decide the outcome of debates in the States.

The Greffier and Deputy Greffier of the States were both on hand to answer questions about the process of standing for election, the rules for candidates and the nuts and bolts of how the successfully elected Members work in the States Chamber and in Scrutiny.

So what are those top tips for elections and beyond? Here’s what our panel of current States Members shared with the audience on the night…

1. You reap what you sow with campaigning

As one States Member said:

“You get out what you put in to a campaign. It’s hard work.”

This message came across loud and clear from the panel. Be organised, create a plan and figure out how many votes you will need to get elected. This will give you a starting point to plan all your campaign activities. How many households will you need to reach? How many people will you need to speak to? Where will you need to go to get your campaign message delivered to the right people?

Put effort into your election campaign – make it easy for voters to understand why you are standing for election and how you intend to represent them if you are successful. Make sure you show you are genuinely listening to voters’ priorities and concerns.

2. Don’t underestimate the power of door-knocking!

Our panel of current States Members were overwhelming positive about the power of door-knocking. They said how it was a brilliant way to get to speak to people in the community, have direct conversations about what’s happening in the constituency, and learn more about what changes would make the biggest impact.

If you’re a first-time election candidate, it’s unlikely that you’ve ever experienced door-knocking to canvass for people’s votes – unless you have supported other candidates in previous elections. It might be daunting in the beginning but as one States Member said – it gets easier:

“I knocked on every door in my Parish. Knocking on the first few doors scared the living daylights out of me, but it got easier!”

3. Build a supportive network

What support do you have at home or in the community? People benefit from having a close group of trusted supporters who can listen and advise when things are challenging as well as cheerlead your campaign efforts to ensure things go well.

At election time, having a group of people who can help you get your campaign message shared across your constituency can make a huge difference. Remember ‘many hands make light work’. If you are campaigning over a large multi-parish constituency, having a group of supporters who can lend a hand with distributing leaflets could make the work much easier.

If you are successful and get elected to the States Assembly, bear in mind that the same people who helped you with your campaign could continue to be an excellent source of support as you navigate your new role in public office.

4. The role is more flexible than you might think

Working as a States Member is a huge responsibility and has the potential to be an incredibly busy time. It is, however, a role which offers more flexibility than many may realise.

States business is scheduled in advance. With careful diary planning, it is absolutely possible to balance the work commitments of being a States Member alongside commitments you already have outside of the States and Scrutiny.

As with work-life balance in other organisations, life outside of the elected office does not have to be put on hold. Current and previous States Members have been in office and started families or had long-term caring responsibilities.

5. Get ready to learn

There’s a lot to learn but that comes with support, training and advice. As one States Member on the panel said:

“You have to become an expert in many things very quickly, but there is a lot of support available which I didn’t realise was there.”

Parliamentary procedure is a lot for anyone to get their head around! The States Greffe is the politically impartial department which supports States Members and provides advice on how things work in the States Assembly. Once elected, States Members are given an induction to learn the basics and as the weeks progress, tailored training covering specific aspects of the roles that Members are appointed to is offered to help expand knowledge and understanding of how to get things done.

6. Expect the unexpected!

Yes, it’s a cliché, but every day is different.

The work of a States Member is enormously varied. Some work will come from a long-term plan, for example, a legislative programme of a Government department which informs what reviews a Scrutiny Panel may carry out. But some work could be unexpected, such as responding to the effects of extreme weather or an emergency situation that crops up. If you become a Minister, you could find yourself having to respond quickly to something unforeseen. If you are a States Member on a Scrutiny Panel, you might decide to ‘call-in’ a draft law for detailed examination before it can come into force.

7. It’s all about making a difference

Why stand for election?

What really came across from our panel of States Members, is that helping people and making a difference are common themes. We’re human beings wanting to make improvements for the benefit of each other:

“If you can help someone it’s really quite special… helping people, making a difference – it’s why we’re all here.”