Provision for students of voting age

WQ.105/2026

WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR EDUCATION AND LIFELONG LEARNING

BY DEPUTY M. TADIER OF ST. BRELADE

QUESTION SUBMITTED ON TUESDAY 7th APRIL 2026

ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 14th APRIL 2026

Question

“Will the Minister advise what provision, if any, is being made in schools where students will be of voting age on election day to encourage and facilitate voting, including what access and opportunities students will be given to ask questions of all candidates; and if no such provision is being made, will he explain why not?”

Answer

Island wide education and support for voting age students specific to the Jersey election cycle is led by the States Greffe, in cooperation with curriculum leads from the Education department and schools/colleges. This is offered in addition to the ongoing Personal Social Health Education (PSHE) curriculum which supports the education of children and young people in citizenship and political awareness, at an Island, British and international level.

For the 2026 Jersey election specific provision has been made to support students who are, or will be, of voting age on election day to understand and take part in the democratic process.

These opportunities are being actively promoted to support informed participation in the democratic process among young voters. Scheduled events for students close to the election may be impacted by coinciding with public examination period, with most voting age young people in years 11 and 13 having public exams between April and the end of June.

Detail of provision

Ahead of the Sunday 7 June 2026 elections, the States Greffe is offering a range of free educational opportunities designed to bring democracy to life and help students understand how Jersey’s democratic system works and why participation matters. These opportunities are aimed specifically at students who are, or will soon be, eligible to vote.

Sessions are delivered by a team of qualified and experienced teachers and are designed to be engaging, age-appropriate, and aligned with curriculum goals. They can be adapted to suit different school contexts, including delivery to whole year groups or individual classes.

The current offer includes sessions on:

• Vote.je Assembly designed to improve students’ understanding the States Assembly and the election process, including how parliament works, how decisions are made, and the role of elected representatives and how to have your say in electing the Island’s decision makers for the next four years. ~1,490 students have attended or are booked in to attend an Assembly ahead of the election.

• Vote.je Lesson provides the who, what, where, and why of voting in Jersey, helping students to understand manifestos and how to make informed voting decisions. ~1,300 students in Years 11- 13 have already had the session, with more scheduled for April/May, which will cover 9 schools in total; and

• Election CPD for teachers has been designed, to support and empower staff in discussing politics and elections with students in an appropriate and balanced way. To date, four schools/colleges have signed up for this training.

In addition, a Candidate Fayre, taking place on Wednesday 29 April. This has been designed to give students the opportunity to meet election candidates, explore their priorities, and ask questions. This initiative is being held for the first time and to date 907 students are booked in to attend during the day, plus a dedicated session where Jersey Youth Service will bring a group of young people. The event will be open to the wider public in the evening. Students will be given worksheets to help guide them and encourage them to record their views. The Fayre is being studied by researchers from King’s College, London, to measure the impact/effectiveness of this new offering in encouraging voter turnout amongst 16–18-year-olds.

Outside of school/college time, students are also encouraged to attend the public hustings events taking place between 5 May – 3 June. There will be 38 events over the course of the month, which will also be live streamed over YouTube.

All sessions and events are completely free. Schools have been encouraged to engage early with the States Greffe to ensure access for their students.