There are 82 candidates up for one of the 34 seats available and 11 politicians, mostly Constables, have been returned unopposed.

Thirteen islanders put themselves forward for one of four senatorial seats.

There are also six Senators who are not up for election as they are halfway through their six year term of office.

Due to a reduction in the number of Senators from 12 to eight there are only four senatorial seats up for grabs in October, bringing the total of States members down to 51 from 53.

The parish of St Helier had a total of 23 candidates for 10 seats across the three districts.

There are 61,987 people registered to vote in the election on 19 October, that is up 12% on 2008.

The number of electors in each parish is up on 2008, with St Helier seeing an increase of about 3,000 on the previous elections.

Electors by Parish

St Helier electors: 18,005 (15,148 in 2008)
St Brelade electors: 7,637 (7,138 in 2008)
St Clement electors: 6,167 (5,436 in 2008)
Grouvile electors: 3,422 (3,276 in 2008)
St John electors: 2,029 (1,906 in 2008)
St Lawrence electors: 3,733 (3,403 in 2008)
St Martin electors: 2,726 (2,526 in 2008)
St Mary electors: 1,227 (1,111 in 2008)
St Ouen electors: 2,990 (2,740 in 2008)
St Peter electors: 3,529 (3,246 in 2008)
St Saviour electors: 8,373 (7,440 in 2008)
Trinity electors: 2,054 (1,792 in 2008)

The cost of milk is one, reform of the States of Jersey is another, but one that holds a special place in the hearts of islanders is Fort Regent, and more specifically what to do with it.

I know I have personally written about half a dozen articles in the past eight years on the subject, and still the debate rages on.

Another area is "Temps passé", as the Jersey Evening Post calls it, basically looking back at the way things were.

This week those two debates came together when YouTube user, 08eccleston, posted a video of the Fort Regent cable cars.

The cable cars were opened in 1970 to give people easier access to the Fort from Snow Hill but these were closed in 1991.

The video on YouTube shows the cable cars in use in 1984.

The video shows the queue for the cable cars and you can watch as they enter Fort Regent. At the end you see what the Waterfront looked like when it was actually next to the water.

The dome roof was added tot he building in 1974, Gloucester Hall opened in 1978 and the Queens Hall in 1988.

It isn't the only video showing a slice of Jersey as it once was on YouTube though.

Jersey Archive have posted a presentation on Havre des Pas that includes some interesting photos showing the old railway and more.

What are your memories of old Jersey? Are there long lost shops you miss or places you would love to go back to that have been built on or knocked down?

Deputy Geoff Southern wants an public holiday on election day

At the last main election in 2008, where Jersey voted for six Senators and a number of Constables - which also included a referendum on Central European Time - turnouts were about 45% - 50% in some Parishes and 34% in St Helier.

Jersey's electoral turnout is near the bottom of the world election turnout table - with the highest in St Mary with 59.5% at the last election.

At the most recent island wide election, where Senator Le Gresley topped the poll, turnout hit just 30%.

Now, Deputy Geoff Southern has come up with an idea he hopes will solve the problem.

He wants to make Election Day, on Wednesday 19 October 2011, a public holiday.

His idea is that, by giving people the day off work, they will be more likely to turn up and vote.

There are potentially many reasons for the low turnout in Jersey - many short term residents not particularly interested in voting, a confusing electoral system and states make-up or even a general lack of interest.

Would giving people the day off be enough to overcome those issues?

The States of Jersey spent about £30 thousand before the election in 2008 to encourage registration and turnout - overall the number of people registering was around 2% up on last time and turnout was about the same.

If investing in awareness and education campaigns hasn't worked and there doesn't seem to be an appetite amongst current States Members for any serious electoral reform - should we be looking at more radical approaches to increasing voter turnout?

Changing results

Jersey has a very low voter turnout

There were 1400 votes between Sarah Ferguson in sixth and Geoff Southern in fifth. Geoff Southern came third in St Helier and Sarah Ferguson ninth - an extra 20% of people voting could have seen sixth and seventh place overall swap round.

So what can be done - or should anything be done - to increase turnout at the islands elections?

Compulsory

The country with the highest election turnout in the world is Australia - they see an average of a 95% turnout across all their elections.

This is mainly due to the fact that since the 1920s voting has been compulsory in Australia - everybody eligible has to register and vote.

Australia isn't alone either, it's also compulsory to vote in several other countries around the world including Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Liechtenstein and Singapore - among others.

Belgium sees an average turnout of 91% and Brazil 83%. The islands average electoral turnout is below the USA, Switzerland and Poland.

There are many arguments that could be put against compulsory voting. It could be said that as voting is a civic duty and not a civil right - you shouldn't be forced to carry it out.
While citizens may exercise their legal rights (free speech, voting, etc.) they are not compelled to.

But the evidence on the other hand does show that it gets people voting - would introducing it for say three elections to show people how things work and then dropping it help?

Incentives

Should the law be changed so that people can be rewarded for voting? How about an income tax allowance for people that vote or a direct cash reward?

What about a one month 1% drop in your ITIS payments?

Or is it better to not even stray into the subject of rewards for voting - should it be something you choose to do freely and if you decide you don't want to - you should be allowed to make that decision for yourself.

Making it simpler

Would introducing online voting, mobile phone voting or even just allowing you to vote at any polling station in the island make a difference?

I have voted in every election that I could since I turned 18, apart from the last Senatorial by-election.

I had moved to St Clement just before the election and had to get my children to school in town.

I don't drive and was working until after the polls closed - so getting out to the polling station would have involved getting a bus back to St Clement and then walking to the polling station in the two hours I had before I started work.

In the end I just didn't bother. But if I could have gone to a polling station in town I would have happily voted.

This is something that could benefit more people and encourage them to vote.
With the average working day running from 9am to 5pm with people travelling half an hour either side and polls open from 8am until 8pm - the majority of the polling day is spent at work - usually in town.

So how about this - open up Gloucester Hall at Fort Regent, put one ballot box for each parish or district, a long line of curtains and allow people to fill out the ballot paper and drop it into the relevant box.

Then, at the end of the day a van could take each of the ballot boxes to the relevant parish hall.

This blog post is based on an article I wrote in 2008 looking at whether compulsory voting could be introducing in Jersey.

They both had strong agricultural industries, they both had strong tourism industries and they now both have strong finance industries.

They were both occupied by Nazi Germany during WWII and they are both famous for their cows and knitwear.

But there are also a number of differences and a strong rivalry.

One recent difference is in politics and how the people are represented.

Guernsey currently has one type of member, a Deputy, elected in small constituencies for a four year term.

But the States of Guernsey are currently looking at reform and with it, bringing back the island-wide vote.

At the same time the States of Jersey has voted to reduce the island-wide vote, going from 12 to eight Senatorial seats in the States chamber.

Adrian Lee, a political analyst specialising in small island politics said this is nothing new.

"Both islands have had a similar sort of history in terms of electoral form and one thing in common is that it has gone on in both for a very long time."

Although Guernsey is looking at bringing back the island wide vote, there is no guarantee it will actually happen or which form it will take.

"The likely outcome may well be simply a vote on the status quo because it is too complicated to change."

One option Guernsey is looking at, and something suggested in Jersey, is a fully island-wide chamber.

But Adrian Lee said this would probably be unworkable, it is likely there could be hundreds of names to pick from on the ballot paper.

"The people that came nearest to it was Sark in their all island election a couple of years ago.

"They had 28 Conseillers to be elected and on that occasion there were over 60 candidates on the ballot paper."

Mr Lee said that the more names you have on the ballot paper the more chance you have of some names being picked at random by voters.

"If you look at the problems of having 100 plus on the ballot paper you get donkey voting.

"Where people pick out their main choices and then start to pick out their other votes at random.

"It is not really workable quite frankly."

Keeping to the similarities, when political reform is mentioned in Jersey one name comes up over and over again.

In 2000 Sir Cecil Clothier submitted a report into the machinery of government in Jersey and made a number of recommendations, among them a single time of elected office.

Adrian Lee said the current system that Guernsey is looking to change is very similar to the one recommended for Jersey by Clothier.

"Funnily enough Clothier suggested a system for Jersey that is very like the system Guernsey adopted.

"But there is still this rumble going on with significant numbers of people wanting all island voting."

Jersey would appear to be moving in a different direction, in fact moving towards the constituency based system and away from the all island vote.

But, even after two votes by the States of Jersey to reduce the number of Senators, there are new proposals to rescind that change.

Adrian Lee said: "The dispute has been going on for a very long time but the problem with the composite assembly is that there is always a block against which ever specific reform is proposed."

Mr Vibert was the island's education, sport and culture minister from 2005 until 2008.

He was first elected to the States as Deputy of St Brelade number two district in 1996 and became a Senator in 2002.

He had been a teacher in London and Jersey before becoming a journalist and helping set up BBC Radio Jersey.

Geraldine des Forges worked for Mike Vibert while she was a presenter at BBC Radio Jersey. She presented between 1982 and 2000.

Here she shares her memories of Mr Vibert and working with him at the BBC.

"Mike Vibert was a founder member of BBC Radio Jersey when it opened at Broadcasting House, Somerland in Rouge Bouillon in March 1982.

"Formerly a school teacher, then a journalist at the Jersey Evening Post, 'Vibes' as he was affectionately known, will be remembered with great affection by those of us who worked at Radio Jersey in the early years.

"In those days, there were no radio cars and he would have had to get to any town-based interviews by riding the 'station bicycle' - he always wore bicycle clips around his trousers. One of the first major stories' that he had to cover was the explosion at the Gas Company in Tunnell Street.

"For many years, Mike was relentlessly teased by the station staff about a photograph of him interviewing a glamorous, and rather well endowed, model who came to Jersey to promote the launch of the station. As always, he took it in good part.

"Mike's teaching experience held him in good stead as a journalist. He was a stickler for good grammar in the news items and would religiously check the list of daily events to make sure that they were 'properly written' before being read 'on air', in those days by the Receptionist. He was also a stickler about the correct pronunciation of Jersey names.

"Vibes was very hardworking, totally honest and very fair in everything he did. He had a great sense of humour and was well liked and respected by all the staff who worked with him. Everyone was very sorry when he left Radio Jersey. However, he carried forward those same good qualities when he became a States Member.

"He will be sadly missed by everyone who knew him."

BBC Radio Jersey stalwart Roger Bara will be back in the breakfast show hot seat from Monday 17 January, from 7-10am.

Roger will be taking over from Chris Stone, who is moving to present a new afternoon show from 1.15-4pm.

Radio Jersey Managing Editor, Jon Gripton, said: "Roger Bara is one of Jersey's best-known broadcasters and I am delighted to have him back where he belongs presenting the Radio Jersey breakfast show.Roger Bara At Breakfast will be a lively, hard-hitting, interactive and entertaining start to the day."

Roger, who first presented the Breakfast programme on Radio Jersey in 1993, said: "It will be so good to once again be at the very heart of everything that happens in our island. I have sorely missed holding to account the island's decision makers.

"I'm also looking forward to both talking to and taking comments from our thousands of listeners throughout the parishes."

Roger comes from a colourful and musical background, having been Bonnie Tyler's keyboard player in the late-Seventies and featuring in many TV shows - including several appearances on Top Of The Pops.

He originally came to Jersey to be musical director at the famous Caesar's Palace at Greve de Lecq and at the Opera House - a position he held for 12 years. He also appeared in several episodes of Bergerac during this period.

Two years later Roger led a team covering the Island Games, providing 12 hours a day of live action from venues throughout the island. He has also hosted every election night programme since the mid-Nineties.

He also commentated on Jersey cricket's greatest ever moment - beating USA in the World League Division 5 semi-finals, which guaranteed them promotion. He commentated on the now-famous final against Afghanistan at Grainville, which not only went round the world but became part of the award-winning film Out Of The Ashes.

The day will start at 6am with a new early breakfast show presented by Simon Jupp. Simon will then jump into the car to report from around the island through the Breakfast and morning shows.

Carrie and Sara

In other changes starting on Monday 17 January, Radio Jersey presenters Carrie Cooper and Sara Palmer will host a 10am-1pm programme, which Sara describes as: "Like Loose Women but for a Jersey audience - lively guests and topical talk all with a smile. There's no better place to find out what is going on in Jersey and feeling involved in your community."

There will also be a new daily news programme Jersey At One with Chris Rayner, providing in-depth news and analysis of the day's events across the island at 1pm.

Christina Ghidoni will present a new show between 4-7pm which, on Thursdays, will incorporate the political talk show Talkback - which is moving from its Sunday slot.

On Friday evenings, Roger Bara and Richard Collinson will present a new sports news and chat show from 6-7pm. Richard said: "With Jersey Rugby Club doing so well, and with so much other sport in the island, this show will be a mix of news and discussion on the week's big stories, and a preview of the weekend action."

And straight after Friday Sportscene I will be bringing you the best of the islands music scene with BBC Introducing in Jersey from 7pm.

But that's not all, we will also be playing music from local bands, singers and songwriters throughout the ouput as part of our new BBC Introducing playlist.

Finally Sundays on Radio Jersey will also have a different sound as The Sunday Request Show takes the place of Talkback between 10am-12pm and the popular Sunday Classics show, with Tim Pollard, moves to a new Sunday lunchtime slot.

You can see the latest BBC Radio Jersey schedules online.

Carrie Cooper presents a special interview with Gilbert O'Sullivan on Boxing Day

Here it is.

As the Assistant Editor at BBC Jersey I spend my life constantly planning our programmes for the future.

That means I started thinking about our Christmas schedule back in September!

By the time we've made provision for colleagues with family in the UK to make their holiday arrangements, I'm left with a small but dedicated team who'll keep your usual services of music news and information flowing over the holiday period.

I then take the opportunity to invite some old friends to join us for Christmas in the island.

This year that means Tony Gillham returns to the Morning Show with his unique music collection in "Gillham Gold".

Alex Belfield dusts off his contacts book and introduces us to the stars at lunchtime over the holiday period.

Meanwhile Ted Reynolds reminds us that the 1950's provided some of the best seasonal music of all time, with a couple of extra special programmes from those "Fabulous Fifties".

Matthew Price is BBC Jersey's Assistant Editor

Tim Pollard shows his combined love of classic comedy and classical music on Boxing Day from nine with a three hour special that combines the two. And Phil Taylor has all of your favourite Christmas Requests (1200 Boxing Day).

Hamish Marett-Crosby takes us on a journey around the island's 12 parish churches in the company of author Peter Hunt and artist Karen Blampied (1600 Monday) and Tim Pryor meets some of the islands talented young people in the "Jersey Young Musician of the Year (1600 Tuesday) - showing we've such amazing range of talent and culture in our island.

Along the way we've seasonal specials from Carrie Cooper, when she meets Jersey-based musician Gilbert O'Sullivan (1700 Boxing Day), Chris Stone chats to Jersey's Battle of Britain's RAF Heroes (1700 December 30th) and Christina Ghidoni celebrates 40 Years of Jersey Overseas Aid (1700 December 31st)

But perhaps the one highlight I am looking forward to most is "Belfield's Big Night In". It's a special programme from 1800 to 0100 on New Year's Eve in which Alex and his guests play non-stop party hits and welcome in the New Year.....

And by the time I'm listening to that, I'll already be thinking about our programmes for Easter!

Jersey politicians spent a week debating the budget

She has shared some of the highlights, lowlights and more "interesting" aspects of her five day ... experience.

Here is her diary

Manana, chocolate body paint and zero ten. The political consultancy work of Jersey's jewellers. And three little letters that take three days to decide.

The 2011 budget debate has been a fiscal safari of epic proportions. Members had yet another chance to take sales tax off food (and failed again), and had an opportunity to freeze it at 3% (they didn't do that either).

As a political reporter I sat looking down on your elected members for every dazzling minute of their week in the States.

As I emerge blinking from a haze of political rhetoric and economic uncertainty, as I rub the indentations of my keyboard from my forehead, this is the week in brief as I remember it.

Day One: Monday December 6, 2010

Members meet Monday afternoon to finish with question time so they can start fresh on the big budget debate on Tuesday morning at 9:30.

The afternoon starts with an unexpected apology to all victims of abuse in Jersey care homes. Members don't quite know how to react.

It overshadows a number of other big stories, including the fact that the island is close to re-signing a reciprocal health agreement with the UK, and the Health and Social Services department has four point four million pounds unspent in its budget for this year.

They seem to be bracing themselves for the big economic issues of the week.

Day Two: Tuesday December 7, 2010

The budget debate begins, with a carefully-crafted speech from the Treasury and Resources Minister laying out the key messages: the economy is bad, but will be getting better, everyone will have to contribute to filling the deficit, and the government's plan is a package of measures to help Jersey through the "great recession".

But the minister is accused of producing a "manana" budget (meaning tomorrow in Spanish), putting off decisions that should be made today.

Deputy Wimberley tries to introduce an "alternative budget" to cancel the spending cuts, speaks for 75 minutes, and is defeated. He immediately starts working on his GST speech.

Day Three: Wednesday December 8, 2010

GST day, part one! This is the day members really get in to their stride, discussing whether to freeze GST at 3% for a year, or six months, or not at all.

There's an amendment to an amendment which is agreed, and then rejected. Mass confusion ensues, and the bailiff has to spend a bit of time explaining it all.

Senator Francis Le Gresley tries to boost support for the freeze by withdrawing his own suggestion to raise GST to 4% instead of five.

Strangely, it emerges that a number of politicians have had cosy chats on the economy with a jeweller or jewellers around the island.

When the day ends, everyone's a little dizzy, but they know it's only one more sleep until the great exemption debate.

Day Four: Thursday December 9, 2010

GST day, the sequel! Members get a second wind, and enter into enthusiastic debate about food exemptions.

They bring out props, such as gigantic ring-binders full of complex regulations and grocery bags full of food.

They detail the absurd rules of VAT, and the debate leaves listeners with the enduring image of Senator Sarah Ferguson and chocolate body paint (VAT exempt, as opposed to diabetic chocolate, which you pay tax on). The amendment fails by two votes.

Day Five: Friday December 10, 2010

GST is decided, but there are twelve debates still to be had.

Energy is waning, the smell of grilled sausages from the French market is wafting into the House, and some members are getting cranky.

Nevertheless, the speed of debate picks up considerably, and members hurdle towards the end, after a skirmish about zero ten, and agreeing to tax foreign-owned companies.

Threats to sit on Saturday or next week have focussed members' minds. By four o'clock the Treasury Minister is speaking so quickly he must be getting light-headed.

The budget and all its legislation is finished just before five.

The Treasury Minister, who has been called Scrooge and stupid during the week, is included in the Christmas wishes, as a fog of goodwill and relief come over members - animosity forgotten, with their traditional seasonal greetings.

Enough mulling, pass the wine.

Every year Father Christmas arrives into the island by aeroplane, picks up his sleigh and travels around Jersey giving children early Christmas presents.

This is the first of two trips Saint Nick makes to Jersey's shore, the second, is the main one on Christmas Eve.

But this year the jolly old chap had a bit of a bump on the way out of the airport car park and it was captured on video by an islander with a camera and posted to YouTube.

In the video above, posted by gromit9084, you can see Santa and his sleigh hit the short stay car park barrier.

In the post Gromit said: "It would only happen in Jersey!"

"Times may be hard and the charges at Jersey Airport's short stay car park may be the most expensive but did they really have to bring down the barrier on Father Christmas as he didn't have a valid ticket?"

You can watch the video 'Father Christmas hits barrier at Jersey Airport' on YouTube.

Simon is 10 days into Movember

Well, progress isn't exactly thick and fast, as you can see from the photo, but there isn't 'something there'.

Although Simon doesn't seem to be overly thrilled at some of the comparisons we've been making between him and famous characters of television.

Here is his update:

Day 10 - Well, after 10 days I'm now the proud (?) owner of a moustache.

I've never let my facial hair grow to this extent and quite frankly wasn't sure I'd be able to grow anything impressive but it seems I can. Deep joy.

So far my dear colleagues at BBC Jersey office have told me I look like Walker from Dads Army and Manuel from Fawlty Towers. Our political reporter Christie Tucker asked if I'd fallen into a cactus. Charming, I'm sure you'll agree.

Thank you for your donations so far. Despite constantly itching my face I'm glad I'm raising money for this worthy cause.

You can see my progress by visiting BBC Jersey's Facebook and keeping an eye on this blog.

The Minden Place car park could be demolished

There are the new waterfront buildings and the preserved Liberty Wharf.

Throw in the controversial old Odeon building and the car parks and you have debates that can fill hours of 'drinking time' at the pub.

But, and in full knowledge of the difference of opinion architecture brings with it, what is the 'ugliest building' in the islands capital?

In his comments on the most recent North of Town Masterplan amendment, Planning Minister, Senator Freddie Cohen, announced his least favourite building in the parish.

In the document he said: "The Minden Place Car Park is one of the ugliest buildings in St Helier, and the proposals are designed to improve the quality of this part of town."

Ouch!

But, a friend's instant reaction to the story on Facebook was: "Surely Sand Street is an uglier car park."

And that is the problem when trying to come up with something like 'the ugliest building in...' beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

The Odeon building is a prime example of this, to some it is an "ugly block" of a building, but for others it is an "icon of an era".

Constable of St Helier

For the Constable of St Helier the ugliest building is one most might not notice, it certainly isn't a high profile building, but it is one he feels sticks out.

Constable Crowcroft's 'ugliest building' is the café next to the toilets in Conway street.

The old ODEON building always sparks debate

He said that Conway Street has benefited from the work by the States of Jersey and the Parish of St Helier.

The work has seen more open spaces at either end of the road and the pavement widening.

I asked people on Facebook and twitter for their views and the first two responses basically suggested the whole waterfront complex.

And Julie asked why the Planning Minister had such a problem with the Minden Place car park.

She said: "At least Minden Place has an original design when it was built, is useful and still busy and not in view to arriving tourists."

Jersey architect, Mike Waddington, said that the thing that best defines the difference between a good building and an ugly building is in the eye of the beholder.

But he did say that an ugly building was one that lacked a number of things.

"Lack of delight"

He said it was a: "Lack of a lot of things, probably a lack of a combination of things, lack of effort, lack of ambition, laziness and a lack of proportion."

But that most importantly it was a: "Lack of delight", he said the "defining thing between a good building a great piece of architecture is delight".

Mike also said there was "something awful about committee based buildings", and that a prime example of this was the waterfront, he said it suffered "from opposing regulations".

He praised the current Planning Minister, Senator Freddie Cohen, for sticking his neck out and giving permission for more challenging works.

He said you: "Get good buildings when people take a risk and that in particular includes the planners.

"There is a chance it could go wrong but that is part of the gamble when you have high ambitions, otherwise you do get bland buildings."

So, if beauty and ugliness are equal in that they are in the eye of the beholder - what is St Helier's ugliest building to your eyes?

And, as always, Jersey has jumped on board with nearly 200 islanders signed up to grow a moustache for Movember.

I had the pleasure of wearing a strip of hair across my top lip for a month in 2008 and now I'm handing the baton over to BBC Jersey's own Simon Jupp.

But he isn't sure what direction his growth will take.

Here is what he has to say:

After much harassment from dear colleagues I've decided to ditch my clean shaven squeaky clean image and grow a moustache for charity.

In all honesty I've never grown one before and the image it presents terrifies me (and possibly any children I meet in the next month) but I'm keen to raise money for such a worthy cause.

Movember raises vital funds and awareness for men's health, specifically prostate cancer and sees men across the UK grow moustaches in all different shapes and sizes.

I've decided to avoid the Poirot and Super Mario but welcome suggestions for designs.

You can follow Simon's progress on his Movember page.