By-election bill £25k lower than predicted

A by-election originally expected to cost £75,000, finally totalled £50,000, a government has confirmed.

In April, Ross Le Brun won Guernsey's first island-wide by-election.

The seat became vacant after disgraced former Chief Minister Jonathan Le Tocq resigned after he was sentenced to nine years in prison for creating more than 2,000 indecent images of children.

The States said the largest expense was more than £15,500 on postal voting and postage. The States also spent £13,400 on venue hire and ballot papers.

Colette Falla, Guernsey's Registrar-General of Electors, said: "Original estimates for the by-election were around £75,000, so I'm pleased we were able to successfully deliver it for much less."

Turnout was the lowest since island-wide voting was introduced six years ago and the lowest of any election since at least the turn of the millennium with just 17.32% of the electorate voting.

Voters cast their ballot at Beau Sejour Leisure Centre, in St Peter Port, with three additional polling stations at St Martin's Parish Hall, Castel Douzaine Room and Vale Douzaine Room.

Other costs included more than £8,300 on promotion and an election website, just over £6,000 on staffing costs, and more than £1,800 on secure transport and storage.

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