Here is a graphic representation of how many people voted this autumn in the election for Senators (click on the picture for a larger and more readable version).The numbers used are accurate enough for this purpose, taken from official figures - but because a census is rare these days, I needed to project the population forward to 90,000 and the number of people of voting age turned out to be around 74,000. Of these, just about three quarters are actually registered : 55,142.
The 44% turnout of registered electors is therefore just 33% of the total number of islanders of voting age, and 27% of the total population including minors.
It should be fairly easy to get a good sense of proportion about the number of votes cast for the six newly elected Senators.
For example, 6th place with 8.5 thousand votes out of a population of 90,000 only means the support of about 9.5% of us. Less than 1 in 10!
Good representation we have, isn't it?
So don't get down and miserable about how the people have spoken. Truth is, most of them haven't!
The choices that voters have made are not worth getting despondent about - the fact that so few people voted at all is the sad aspect of this.
2 comments:
I received this message on Youtube today :
"Montfort is as thick as a blank. He wants us closed as a finance centre and at the same time he expects us to spend the tax made from the finance industry on d***heads like his followers. We can change the government, f***ing hell what a pair of pr***s!"
Send your well wishes to the commenter at www.youtube.com/user/Placebo214 if you like.
People don't bother to vote because they know that Jersey is a one party state run by the Establishment Party. The actual politicians themselves make no difference to the outcome.
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