A British crown dependency in the English Channel, Jersey is voting whether to move the clocks an hour forward to match the CET used in France, just 22 kilometres away.

Those in favour say it would reduce the need for lighting and heating in the evenings and encourage a more continental European lifestyle.

Those against say it will put the island's crucial offshore finance industry out of step with Britain, losing two hours of the common working day.

It would also put Jersey out of step with Guernsey, its fellow Channel Island.

Jersey lawmaker Jimmy Perchard said an extra hour of daylight in the evening would allow people to be more active in the evenings, and bring tourism and environmental benefits.

"A continental lifestyle is desirable, it's something that Jersey could market and promote for tourists," he said.

However, Geoff Cook, chief executive of Jersey Finance Limited, which promotes the island as an international finance centre of excellence, said 70 percent of their members were against the idea.

"The bulk of the finance industry's communication is with the UK and if the one-hour change is adopted, two hours of the common working day between the UK and Jersey would be lost," he said.

"The result of all this would simply be that the island's workforce would be remaining in the office later and working longer hours."

The vote is taking place alongside Jersey's legislative elections. The polls closed at 8pm (7pm GMT), with official results expected Thursday.

Jersey is not part of the United Kingdom but, like Guernsey, is a dependency of the British crown with its own administration and jurisdiction.

The island has a population of 90 800.