The post was created by reforms to the machinery of government to change from a consensus style of government by committee of the whole States of Jersey to a system of cabinet government under a Chief Minister.
In a secret ballot on Monday, 5 December 2005, the States of Jersey elected Senator Walker to be the first chief minister in Jersey history, receiving 38 votes to Senator Syvret's 14 votes of support, an unsurprising result for the latter who considered himself the underdog (a concern he had expressed during the preceding weekend in an interview with Channel Television).
In a secret ballot, the States of Jersey voted for Senator Le Sueur with 36 votes. The only other challenger, Senator Alan Breckon, received 17 votes.
2010s
2011 election
chief ministerial candidates Senator Ian Gorst and Senator Sir Philip Bailhache on 14 November 2011, just before the vote.
Senator Ian Gorst was elected chief minister in an open ballot on 14 November 2011, beating Senator Sir Philip Bailhache 27 votes to 24. He nominated his preferred candidates for ministerial office on 16 November 2011,[4] and took office as chief minister following the completion of elections of ministers on 18 November 2011.[5]
2014 election
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2018 election
Senator John Le Fondré was voted in as Jersey's fourth chief minister by 30 votes to 19, defeating Senator Ian Gorst who was looking to serve for a third term in the role.[6] Gorst continued to serve on the Council of Ministers, taking over the external relations portfolio.
Senator Lyndon Farnham also declared an interest in standing as chief minister,[7] but withdrew from the race to support Senator Le Fondré prior to the vote in the States Assembly - opting to remain as Minister for Economic Development instead.[8]
In January 2022, former Senator Sir Philip Bailhache announced he was seeking a return to front-line politics, and would stand as the Jersey Liberal Conservatives' candidate for Chief Minister if he was voted back in.[9] He previously ran for the position in 2011.
The following month, the incumbent Chief Minister, Senator John Le Fondré, announced he would be standing as a candidate for the Jersey Alliance party. But he was not chosen as the party's candidate for leader,[10] with members backing Sir Mark Boleat instead. It meant that even if Senator Le Fondré was successfully re-elected, he would only serve one term as Chief Minister.
In May, Senator Kristina Moore, who served as Home Affairs Minister during Ian Gorst's premiership, announced her intention to stand for Chief Minister if re-elected.[11]
For the 2022 general election, the title of Senator was abolished and all candidates stood as Deputies or Constables.[12] As Senators were the only position to be elected using an island-wide vote, they traditionally took on the Ministerial roles in Jersey's government. 2022 would be the first time a Chief Minister would be appointed without an island-wide mandate since the position was established in 2005.
Islanders went to the polls in June, with John Le Fondré's Alliance party suffering a bruising defeat,[13] meaning neither he nor his party leader, Sir Mark Boleat, were in a position to stand for Chief Minister. Candidates aligned to political parties were not as popular with the electorate as independent candidates, so Sir Philip Bailhache did not have enough support from States members to put himself forward.[14]
The only party to increase their number of seats in the Assembly was Reform Jersey; this led Deputy Sam Mézec to announce his intention to stand as the party's candidate for Chief Minister.[15]
On Friday 1 July, States members elected Deputy Moore as Jersey's first female Chief Minister.[16] Her picks for the Council of Ministers were all backed in the States Assembly, including retaining Ian Gorst as Treasury Minister.[17]
