Jersey’s next election will take place on Wednesday 22 June 2022 and the nomination period for candidates closes on 13 May.
If you are a governor of or otherwise connected with the work of a Jersey charity, the basic message at election time is be careful of what you may say or do in the name of your charity or your role.
You must, in particular, not permit the charity to advance a political party or promote a particular candidate for election. This includes the charity’s posts on social media or any written or broadcast materials.
This is because charities must be independent, and seen to be so, of, party politics or political candidates, and the Charities Law reflects this.
If you are considering standing for election and currently work for or are a governor of a registered charity, you are not barred from seeking election because of that, and there is no bar to your referencing your activity and record in the charity sector as part of setting out your personal credentials. Very many of both serving and prospective members of the legislature are, or will have been, active as leaders in civil society, which includes their charity credentials. You just need to be careful and cautious, please, that you do not draw in the charity, or your role within it, to the political discourse. You should not, for instance, seek the support of a named registered charity for a given element of your policy or party platform.
If prospective nominees for election or current elected members have any questions or uncertainties about this, the Charity Commissioner’s Officers are always content to respond very promptly to questions posed either by telephone (please ring 760810) or by email sent to info@charitycommissioner.je.
