2021 General Election

Regulation 8 to the Elections (Keys) Regulations 2021 House of Keys General Election 2021 - Notice of Election

An election is to be held of two members of the House of Keys for each of the twelve constituencies listed below.

Nomination papers may be obtained from the Crown and Elections Unit, Cabinet Office, Third Floor, Government Office, Bucks Road, Douglas; or can be downloaded from the Cabinet Office website at the Forms for candidates page.

To become nominated as a candidate in the House of Keys General Election for 2021, candidates must submit a completed Nomination Paper and a Declaration of Relevant Interests form to the Returning Officer for the constituency between 10am on Wednesday 18 August 2021 and 1pm on Wednesday 25 August 2021 at a time and place to be agreed with the Returning Officer. The nomination process is described in the Guidance for Candidates published in the ‘Candidate’ section.

Copies of the Nomination Form and the Declaration of Relevant Interests form are available to download from the ‘Candidate’ section well.

Constituency	Name and Address of Returning Officer
Arbory, Castletown and Malew	Mr Laurence Vaughan-Williams LVW Law, Museum Buildings, Church Road, Port Erin, IM9 6AH. Telephone: 836757
Ayre and Michael	Mrs Clare Faulds Corlett Bolton & Co, 48 Michael Street, Peel, IM5 1HD. Telephone: 676868
Douglas Central	Mr Tim Swift Appleby Isle of Man, 33-37 Athol Street, Douglas, IM1 1LB. Telephone: 647607
Douglas East	Mr Andrew Bridson Bridson Halsall Advocates, Havelock Chambers, 16-18 Mount Havelock, Douglas, IM1 2QG. Telephone: 614422
Douglas North	Mr Geoffrey Kermeen Keystone Law (Isle of Man) Limited, The Old Courthouse, Athol Street, Douglas, IM1 1LD. Telephone: 0333 939 8000
Douglas South	Mr James Quinn Quinn Legal, 30 Ridgeway Street, Douglas, IM1 1EL. Telephone: 665522
Garff	Mr Miles Benham MannBenham Advocates, 49 Victoria Street, Douglas, IM1 2LD. Telephone: 639351
Glenfaba and Peel	Ms Sally Bolton Corlett Bolton & Co, 48 Michael Street, Peel, IM5 1HD. Telephone: 676868
Middle	Mr Steven Quayle Cains Advocates, Fort Anne, Douglas, IM1 5PD. Telephone: 638300
Onchan	Mr Jeremy Callin Callin Wild, Bank Chambers, 15-19 Athol Street, Douglas, IM1 1LB. Telephone: 676763
Ramsey	Mr Robert Jelski Dickinson Cruickshank & Co, Masonic Buildings, Water Street, Ramsey, IM8 1RD. Telephone: 812107
Rushen	Mr Mark Humphrey Long & Humphrey, The Old Courthouse, Athol Street, Douglas, IM1 1LD. Telephone: 651951

In the event of a contested election, polling will take place on:

Thursday, 23 September 2021

Candidates may obtain one copy of the register of electors of the constituency for which they are standing from the Cabinet Office free of charge upon registering with the Information Commissioner.

Copies of the Elections (Keys and Local Authorities) Act 2020 and the Elections (Keys) Regulations 2021 are available from the Tynwald Library, Legislative Buildings, Douglas; or they can be downloaded from this page on the Downloadable Documents section.

Postal Voters

The Elections (Keys and Local Author- ities) Act 2020 provides that a person who is or will be entitled to vote at an election may apply to the Returning Officer of their constituency to vote by post.

Applications to be treated as a postal voter must be made on an Application for a Postal Vote form, which must be submitted to the relevant Returning Officer:

If the postal ballot paper is to be marked within the Isle of Man – not later than Wednesday 15 September 2021
If the postal ballot paper is to be marked within the British Isles, but outside the Isle of Man – not later than Thursday 9 September 2021
If the postal ballot paper is to be marked overseas (outside the Isle of Man and the British Isles) – not later than Tuesday 31 August 2021

Application forms are available from the Crown and Elections Unit, Cabinet Office, Third Floor, Gov- ernment Office, Bucks Road, Douglas; or can be downloaded from the Cabinet Office website at the Voting by post page.

Proxy Votes

A person entitled to vote at the election but who cannot do so in person at a polling station or by casting an advance vote by post, can appoint a proxy to vote on their behalf. Anyone who wishes a proxy to be appointed to vote for him or her must apply to the Electoral Registration Officer, Cabinet Office, Third Floor, Government Office, Bucks Road, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 3PN on an Application for the Appointment of a Proxy form not later than 5pm on Wednesday 22 September 2021.

The Elections (Keys and Local Authorities) Act 2020 provides that, on an application by an elector, the Elector- al Registration Officer may appoint a proxy to vote for the elector, if he or she is satisfied that the elector cannot cast his or her vote at a polling station or in advance by post, and that the person to be appointed proxy is not disqualified and is capable of being and willing to be appointed.

A person is disqualified for appointment as a proxy if he or she:

has not attained the age of 16 years, or
is subject to any incapacity to vote at an election

A person may not be appointed proxy to vote on behalf of more than two electors in any constituency unless that person is the spouse, civil partner, parent, grandparent, brother, sister, child or grandchild of each of those electors.

Please note: Section 93 of the Elections (Keys and Local Authorities) Act 2020 provides:

Each of the following persons perpetrates a corrupt practice:
- A person who commits, or aids, abets, counsels or procures the commission of, personation
- A person who perpetrates bribery
- A person who exerts undue influence on any person in connection with an election

Such offences being described in more detail in sections 93 to 96 of the Elections (Keys and Local Authorities) Act 2020.

Section 102 (2) provides that:

A person who engages in a corrupt practice commits an offence and is liable:

on conviction on information:
- in the case of personation of or aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring the commission of personation, to custody for a term not exceeding two years or to a fine, or to both; or
- in any other case, to custody for a term not exceeding one year or to a fine, or to both; or
- on summary conviction (including conviction under section 125 by the High Court), to custody for a term not exceeding 6 months or to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale, or to both.

A person who engages in an illegal practice (other than an illegal payment or hiring) commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction (including conviction under section 125 by the High Court) to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.

By Order Chief Secretary

2021 General Election

The House of Keys is the popularly elected Branch of Tynwald, the Island’s parliament.

Every five years the people of the Isle of Man have an opportunity to vote in a General Election to choose who will represent them in the House of Keys.

The next House of Keys General Election takes place on Thursday 23 September 2021.

Each Member of the House of Keys (MHK) represents a constituency. There are 12 constituencies, with two MHKs for each:

Arbory, Castletown and Malew
Ayre and Michael
Douglas Central
Douglas East
Douglas North
Douglas South
Garff
Glenfaba and Peel
Middle
Onchan
Ramsey
Rushen

Why should I vote?

The choices made by Members of the House of Keys directly affect our daily lives.

They make policy, pass laws and regulations, decide how income from taxpayers is spent on public services, and debate issues of national and international importance.

Elections provide an opportunity to make your feelings known on the issues that matter to you.

By voting you can influence the decisions that will shape the Island’s future.

I want to stand as a candidate

The Candidates section of this website provides practical advice to anyone who wishes to put themselves forward for election to the House of Keys.

The guidance covers each of the main steps during the election process, including nominations, the election timetable, the campaign and candidate spending, polling day and the declaration of the result.