Full guide to September's House of Keys election
BBCPeople on the Isle of Man will get the chance in September to vote for who they want to represent them in parliament.
Voting to elect 24 Members of the House of Keys (MHKs) takes place at the general election on 24 September.
We take a look at the timescales for the contest, who can stand, and how you can make sure you are eligible to vote.
What is the House of Keys?
Known in Manx Gaelic as kiare as feed – which translates as twenty-four – the House of Keys is the directly elected branch of the Isle of Man's parliament, Tynwald.
Its membership is made up of 24 MHKs, representing 12 two-seat constituencies covering the whole of the island.
What are the constituencies?
The constituencies were traditionally linked the six historical sheadings of Ayre, Garff, Glenfaba, Michael, Middle, and Rushen.
The current electoral boundaries have been in place since 2016, when the map was significantly redrawn to create equality of representation, which brought to an end the previous system that included a mix of one, two and three-seat constituencies.
The current constituencies are: Arbory, Castletown and Malew; Ayre and Michael; Douglas Central; Douglas East; Douglas North; Douglas South; Garff; Gelfaba and Peel; Middle; Onchan; Ramsey; and Rushen.
What do MHKs do?
MHKs attend weekly sittings in their own chamber, where they take part in question-and-answer sessions and debate and progress new legislation.
In addition, they join together with the Legislative Council for monthly sittings of the Tynwald court.
As well as parliamentary responsibilities and constituency work, MHKs can be appointed to serve within government departments – as ministers or members – or on statutory boards.
How often do elections take place?
General elections take place every five years, with all seats available to be contested.
Although previously held in November, the date of the poll was brought forward to September in 2011 to encourage a rise in voter turnout, with the earlier date also potentially providing better weather for canvassing.
Those elected in September will serve a term that will run until late August 2031, however, should a vacancy arise during that term a by-election would be held in the constituency.
Who is eligible to stand?
Prospective candidates must be at least 18 years old, a British citizen or have the right to remain on the Isle of Man, have lived on the island for at least five years, be registered to vote, and not be disqualified from holding the office.
Disqualifications include holding a paid job with a government or public-sector position in another jurisdiction, being an undischarged bankrupt or a serving prisoner, or being subject to any incapacity.
Those who have been convicted of a relevant offence – corruption, bribery or dishonesty – and those who have been sentenced to at least three months in prison during the past five years are also disqualified.
Full-time members of the judiciary also cannot stand.
People become prospective candidates as soon as their intent to stand in the election is publicly declared – and that be can on any public platform.
What are the key dates before the poll?
The dissolution of the House of Keys - when the current members cease being MHKs - takes place on 13 August (although government ministers and heads of boards remain in those roles until replaced in October).
The dissolution takes place six weeks before the poll itself and is also the date the lieutenant governor issues the writ for the general election.
The Notice of Election will be published on 18 August by the Cabinet Office, which officially confirms to the public there will be a contest in each of the 12 constituencies.
Prospective candidates have from 10:00 BST on 19 August to 13:00 on 26 August to deliver their nomination papers and declaration of interests forms.
Objections to nominations can be made between 13:00 and 14:00 on 26 August – 14:00 is also the deadline for the withdrawal of a candidate.
If there are more than two valid candidates in a constituency, a contested election will be declared by the returning officer.
Who can vote and how?
Anyone on the electoral register who is 16 years old or over before polling day and has lived on the Island for the last 12 months is eligible to vote, provided they are on the electoral register.
Students studying at university in the UK or further afield can apply for a postal ballot, if unable to attend to vote in person at a polling station.
Others who cannot get to a polling station on the day can also apply for a postal or a proxy vote.
What are the deadlines to apply?
Although a full version of the electoral register is physically published once a year in April, you can register to vote or change your details at anytime as any electronic updates are made each month.
However, those who want to vote in September must be registered as an elector by 25 August – as that is the final update before the poll.
Requests for postal ballots from people living or working off-island and based outside of the British Isles must be made by 1 September, with that deadline extended to 10 September for those within the British Isles.
Postal ballots for those within the Isle of Man must be requested by 18 September.
The proxy vote request deadline is 17:00 on 23 September.
Information on casting postal and proxy votes will be published within the Notice of Election after the writ has been issued.
When is the election?
Polling day itself takes place on 24 September, when polling stations across the island will be open between 08:00 and 20:00.
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