Election Expenses

Prospective candidates for this year’s election to the States Assembly are are legally required to declare their election campaign expenses whether or not they are successfully elected.

What Candidates Need to Track

The Public Elections (Expenditure and Donations) (Jersey) Law 2014 sets out the rules which candidates must follow during the regulated election period (the period running from exactly 4 months before election day up to and including the day itself). It also explains the requirement after the elections, for ALL candidates, whether they have been elected or not, to submit a signed declaration form detailing their spending related to the election process.

‘Expenses’ are regarded as any sums incurred at any time before the poll relating to the supply of goods or services used during the regulated period to promote or precure a candidate’s election OR to prejudice the electoral prospects of another candidate at the same election.

Expenses can be direct or notional (such as when services are provided free of charge or at a discounted rate). If you do get services or goods given free of charge or at a discount rate these have to be declared. The notional value is the difference between the open market/commercial rate for those goods and services and the actual cost to the candidate. If that value exceeds £145 then you must declare that as a donation.

Spending Limits for 2026 Candidates

There is a base limit for expenses depending on the role the candidate wishes to stand for.

This is up to £4,146 for Senatorial candidates and up to £2,517 for Connétable and Deputy candidates. In addition to this base rate, candidates may spend an additional 13 pence per person on the electoral roll in the constituency they wish to represent (which for senatorial candidates will be the entire Island).

Candidates will be advised of the updated figure for these additional spending limits before nominations are open in April.

Role	Constituency	Base expense limit	Additional expenses
Senator	Entire Island	£4,146	13 pence per person registered to vote in Jersey
Connétable	Parish	£2,517	13 pence per person registered to vote in the Parish you wish to represent
Deputy	Constituency	£2,517	13 pence per person registered to vote in the Constituency you wish to represent

Submitting Election Expenses

All election candidates, whether they are successfully elected or not, are required to submit their expenses to the JEA.

Candidates are therefore advised to keep careful track of receipts, invoices and any other records which provide proof of their expenditure during the regulated election period.

Third Party Election Expenses

Third parties are also required to submit election expenses.

A third party is an individual or can be two or more people working together who are neither acting on the express or implied wishes of an election candidate or political party but who have incurred expenses during the regulated election period which either promote or prejudice the election of a candidate. For example, if a person or group of people paid to advertise to discourage people from voting for a candidate or political party, that would be an election expense and would need to be declared to the JEA.

Post-Election Audit

The JEA will conduct an audit of expenditure after the election to ensure transparency, compliance, and adherence to spending limits.

Anyone with questions about the upcoming election can contact the JEA at admin@jea.je.