2008 Sark general election

General elections were held in Sark on 10 December 2008, the first elections on the island.

2008 Sark general election
10 December 2008
28 (of the 30) seats in the Chief Pleas
 
Leader Pro-Reform Law 2008 Candidates Anti-Reform Law 2008 Candidates
Seats won 23 5
Popular vote 6,323 2,779
 
Leader Seigneur Seneschal
Seats won 1 1
Popular vote Hereditary Appointed
The location of the Bailiwick of Guernsey which includes Sark

Fifty-seven candidates[1] (12% of the eligible electors) stood for 28 seats in the Chief Pleas. The elected members in the new Chief Pleas were titled Conseillers and replaced the mixed system of elected People's Deputies and ex officio Tenants in the outgoing Chief Pleas. The President of the Chief Pleas continued to be the Seneschal, whose term was extended from three years to life. The Conseillers elected in 2008 served either four or two-year terms. 14 Conseillers elected for two-year terms served until the 2010 election, held in December 2010; while the remainder served four years terms, thus achieving a rolling election cycle. The selection of which Conseillers elected in 2008 were to serve a two-year term or a four-year term was determined by random ballot.[2]

A recount took place on 11 December due to the closeness of the votes for the 28th seat.[3]

Background

On 16 January and 21 February 2008, the Chief Pleas approved a law which introduced a 30-member chamber, with 28 elected members and two unelected members. On 9 April 2008 the Privy Council approved the Sark law reforms,[4] and the new chamber convened for the first time on 21 January 2009.[5][6][7]

Electoral system

The first election held in Sark under the new system took place on 10 December 2008. In total, 28 Conseillers were to be elected via plurality block voting from 57 candidates, with the latter figure representing about 12% of the electorate in the island.[8] A recount was ordered as several of the candidates for the last seat were separated by only a few votes.[9]

Results

The elections reflected the "Sark chasm" throughout the island between those who supported the traditional system and those who supported further reforms.[10] The overwhelming majority of candidates who were elected had either previously voted in Chief Pleas to enact the 2008 Reform Law, or had made public statements in support of it, and since advocated the further dismantling of the feudal system via the reform of the ancient feudal land tenure laws.

Results from the second count were:[11][12]

Position Candidate Votes Years
1 David Thomas Cocksedge 336 2
2 Rossford John de Carteret 318 4
3 Helen Mildred Plummer 302 2
4 David Woods Melling 284 2
5 Helen Clair Magell 282 4
6 Christopher Howard Bateson 280 2
7 Antony Dunks 270 4
8 Stephen Laurence Henry 266 4
9 David Pollard 263 4
9 Andrew Charles Prevel 263 4
11 Elizabeth Mary Dewe 253 4
11 Sandra Williams 253 4
13 Edric Baker 249 2
14 Paul Williams 242 4
15 Diane Baker 233 2
16 Paul Martin Armorgie 230 4
17 Andrew James Cook 228 4
18 Richard James Dewe 227 2
18 Charles Noel Donald Maitland 227 4
20 Michelle Andrée Perrée 224 2
21 Christopher Robert Nightingale 215 2
22 Janet Mary Guy 212 2
22 John Edward Hunt 212 2
24 Anthony Granville Ventress 201 2
25 Stefan Bernd Gomoll 200 2
26 Ann Atkinson 199 4
27 Christine Dorothy Audrain 185 4
28 Peter John Cole 184 2
29 Philip James Carré 179
30 Tony Eric le Lievre 178
31 William George Raymond 169
32 Peter Blayney Stisted 169
33 Bertha Helen Cole 165
34 Simon Peter Elmont 147
35 Bernard John Southern 136
36 Kevin Patrick Delaney 131
37 Peter Francis Luce Tonks 123
38 Simon Ashley Couldridge 122
39 John Trevor Greer Donnelly 118
40 Paul David Mitchell Burgess 117
41 Roger Ian Wynne Kemp 106
42 Colin Francis John Guille 104
43 Belinda Doyle 96
44 Michael Joseph Doyle 93
45 Mini McCusker 91
45 Natalie Tighe 91
47 Fiona Ann Bird 90
48 Cheryl Mary Tonks 85
49 Natalie Alexandra Criak 82
50 Daniel Walter Robert Parsons 75
51 David John Bird 74
52 Kevin Laws 70
53 Kaye Jin Mee Char 59
54 Jamie Karl John Swanson 50
55 Leigh Dianne Gibbins 45
56 Susan Christine Strachey 43
57 Javie John Dance 14

After the results of the ballot were declared, a separate ballot was held among the 28 successful Conseillers to determine which would serve for two years, and which for four years, which is indicated by the figure after the number of votes. Since the initial period, Conseillers have served four-year terms with half elected every two years.[13]

Reaction of the Barclay brothers

When it became apparent that only about five candidates they had supported had been elected, the Barclay brothers announced that they were shutting down their businesses on Sark – hotels, shops, estate agents and building firms – leaving about 100 people, or a sixth of the population, out of work.[14][15] The closures started almost immediately following the announcement.[16] Diana Beaumont, the wife of Seigneur John Michael Beaumont, commented that "[the Barclay brothers] were the ones that started all this democracy business, now they don’t like it because they haven't won."[17] The States of Jersey, sitting in session on 12 December 2008, resolved to send a message of support to its sister island of Sark.[18]

In January 2009, the Barclays quietly began reversing the shutdown process.[19]

References
  1. "Sark Election: the candidates". BBC Guernsey. 9 December 2008. Retrieved 11 December 2008.
  2. "Sark is getting into". ThisIsGuernsey.com. 5 December 2008. Archived from the original on 12 December 2008. Retrieved 11 December 2008.
  3. "Historic election recount ordered". BBC News Online. 11 December 2008. Retrieved 11 December 2008.
  4. "Sark democracy plans are approved". BBC News Online. 9 April 2008. Retrieved 11 December 2008.
  5. Harrell, Eben (17 January 2008). "A Revolution Not Televised". Time.com. Archived from the original on 19 January 2008. Retrieved 11 December 2008.
  6. "After 443 years, Sark gets democracy". The Bugle (Podcast). January 2008. Archived from the original on 26 June 2008. The Bugle is a satirical podcast of The Times Online
  7. "Sark agrees switch to democracy". BBC News Online. 22 February 2008. Retrieved 11 December 2008.
  8. "Sark votes in first-ever election". BBC News Online. 10 December 2008. Retrieved 11 December 2008.
  9. "Historic election recount ordered". BBC News Online. 11 December 2008. Retrieved 11 December 2008.
  10. "European feudalism finally ends as Sark heads for democracy". The Independent. 11 December 2008. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022. Retrieved 11 December 2008.
  11. "Sark Election – Provisional results in". Channel Television. 11 December 2008. Retrieved 11 December 2008.
  12. Sark's new look Chief Pleas (10 December 2008). "Sark's new look Chief Pleas". BBC Guernsey. bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 12 January 2009.
  13. "Sark's new look Chief Pleas". BBC News online. 11 December 2008. Retrieved 11 December 2008.
  14. "Barclays shut down Sark interests". BBC News Online. 11 December 2008. Retrieved 11 December 2008.
  15. "More than 100 job losses in Sark". Channel Television. 11 December 2008. Retrieved 11 December 2008.
  16. "Barclays' Sark closures under way". BBC News Online. 12 December 2008. Retrieved 13 December 2008.
  17. "Barclay twins cut up rough in Sark". The First Post. 12 December 2008. Retrieved 13 December 2008.
  18. "Jersey support for 'sister' Sark". BBC News Online. 12 December 2008. Retrieved 10 January 2009.
  19. Taylor, Jerome. "Barclays reinstate Sark staff sacked after poll: Happy ending for workers who fell victim to tycoons' election setback". Archived 13 February 2017 at the Wayback Machine The Independent 30 January 2009
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