SARK has voted for open government. And the island’s first general election should be held next year.

The result of a postal and telephone ballot by London-based Electoral Reform Services showed a 234-184 majority in favour of universal suffrage.

The 89.5% turnout and 27% differential fell within the parameters for implementation by Chief Pleas of a minimum of 60% and 20% respectively.

Seneschal Reg Guille said he was pleased that the public had been given the opportunity to decide the matter.

‘They have spoken quite clearly that they want a full democratic decision and I would expect Chief Pleas to adopt that at its Michaelmas meeting on 4 October,’ he said.

Sark Constitutional Review Committee chairman Adrian Guille said he thought it inconceivable that Chief Pleas would go against the opinion poll result.

‘It has been a lengthy process,’ he said.

‘But right from the very start of the committee being set up in 2000, we always knew that the make-up of Chief Pleas was going to be the contentious issue in any new legislation.

‘We can understand why, but I think we as a committee and the community have gone through the process and have now reached a conclusion.’

The committee had made its recommendation for open government in January.

Tenant Christopher Rang proposed the alternative option of a Chief Pleas made up of 12 elected deputies, eight seats reserved for tenants and eight allotted to the runners-up from the deputies’ and tenants’ election.

He said he was shocked and disappointed at yesterday’s outcome.

‘I think people don’t realise what they’ve voted for,’ he said.

‘We’ve just had a by-election and one person stood for one seat and got in unopposed. I hope that all of these people who voted for option A will now put their names up for election to show their commitment to the island.’

General Purposes and Finance Committee president Peter Dewe said he knew some were unhappy with the poll’s outcome.

‘There appears to be one or two angry people on the island as they thought things were going their way, but that’s the risk you take when you go to public opinion,’ he said.

‘While tenants will lose their automatic right to a seat in Chief Pleas, I hope they will still stand because a lot of them do sterling work.’

General Purposes had supported universal suffrage.

Deputy Peter Cole said the result had settled the argument once and for all.

‘It’s pretty clear,’ he said.

‘We can put it all behind us now and get on with dealing with other problems that Sark and the other islands will face in the future.’

He said that the result reflected an informal opinion poll conducted in March, organised by Deputy Geoff Gurden.