Short-Term Role, Big Price Tag: Onchan’s Expensive By-Election

Onchan ratepayers will be hit for as much as £10,000 to conduct a by-election to fill a role for a few short months. The newly elected person will serve for only a few short months: until Thursday, April 24, 2025.

According to Manx News, (now) former Onchan Commissioner Fenella Logan (Manx Labour Party) resigned because she “wanted to spend free time with her family.” Unfortunately, Onchan ratepayers may now be left footing the bill for the expensive by-election for a short-term role. If the election is contested, the successful candidate will serve for only 161 days, or five-and-a-bit months, with duties further affected by the local election campaign of April 2025.

The financial costs associated with running any election are not insignificant. From printing ballots to running polling stations to the resources required to organise and oversee the vote, these expenses quickly add up.

There is still an opportunity to save much of the expected cost: avoid a contested election. Two options are possible: have only one nominee, or, if there are multiple nominees, instead of wasting thousands on a vote, the candidates could agree to draw the winner from a hat. This simple, fair solution would save public money and allow the newly elected candidate to get on with serving Onchan ratepayers.