THE Gold Coast's bid to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games has received a vote from one of the smallest Commonwealth Games Federation members.

Jersey was the first to publicly back the Gold Coast's bid with an announcement on the association's website. The Commonwealth Games Association of Jersey voted in favour of the Gold Coast bid, citing it was a "low risk" option.

Jersey is a small island off the coast of France under the rule of the United Kingdom.

The decision was made after a meeting between the 16 association member sports.

The archery representative was disappointed with the decision because the sport wasn't in the Gold Coast bid, but was included in the Hambantota, Sri Lanka, bid.

It was stated on the website that the association's president, Alan Cross, had completed inspections of the Gold Coast and Hambantota to assess the strengths and weaknesses of each city's bid.

"Alan Cross will cast Jersey's vote on its preferred venue for the 2018 Games together with votes from the other 70 Commonwealth nations and territories at the Commonwealth Games Federations general assembly, which takes place in St. Kitts and Nevis on November 10 and 11," the website read.

Mr Cross said the visit highlighted the conclusions found in the report by the Commonwealth Games Federation's evaluation commission, which stated members of the commission considered Hambantota to be a "high risk" option, and the Gold Coast a "low/medium" risk.

71 members vote on who hosts the Commonwealth Games.