Vote early, vote often, but who for? (or for whom, if you prefer)

When Ro went to university, he registered for a postal vote and he hasn’t altered the arrangement. This year, we have county council elections and the Euro elections on the same day. The candidates for the local election were in the paper a couple of weeks ago, but I still haven’t read anything about the EU poll or its candidates. I wasn’t too pleased when the system changed to a single transferable vote last time – you vote for a party and the votes each have received determine how many of their candidates, in a pre-determined order, are elected. In this part of the country there are seven seats so each party can field a maximum of seven candidates, but the electorate cannot vote for their person of choice or split their vote; they vote for a party with its list of candidates.

I was interested to see his ballot paper, as I don’t know the name of our Euro MP and I’ve never seen anything in the newspaper about him or her. Ro held up a long piece of paper. There were candidates for 16 or 17 parties on it, many of which I’d never heard of. One was called ‘Animals Count’. Another was a Christian party. Several proclaimed their patriotism. One candidate is an Independent. The usual parties are fielding seven aspirants but some of the minor ones have fewer. I have never heard of any of the candidates. This gives little impetus to people to exercise their democratic right and obligation – yes, I will vote, but I have little idea, at present, to which bunch of idiots I will give that vote.

Anyway, that’s still a couple of weeks away. This morning, I woke up at quarter to five and couldn’t sleep again. I didn’t want to get up that early, so read for a while and got up an hour or so later. I went out in the garden with my scythe again. I’ve got a good deal done today. In the end, I didn’t have time to get any planting done but plenty of weeds will be smothered this summer.

Oh, and Ro is looking forward to trying his hand at bricklaying on Monday.

17 comments on “Vote early, vote often, but who for? (or for whom, if you prefer)

  1. Z

    Zed indeed, Sarah (though I answer happily to Zee if that’s how my transatlantic friends think of me) and the boringly simple reason is that my name is Zoë.

    Reply
  2. Z

    I’m sober. I haven’t had a drink except water and coffee since 7.30 this evening.

    No he hasn’t, but he can borrow the Sage’s.

    Ah, darling, a coward dies a thousand deaths. I’ll be back.

    Reply
  3. Aleesuhn_Muhree

    Hmm. . . there is always an election of some sort going on over here is the “good ‘ol” U.S. of A. I never know when they are, or what part of the county it’s for; if it is for mayor or governor. . . My ballot would look similar to Ro’s.

    Reply
  4. Z

    We don’t have votes for mayors, except for the London one. There are several tiers of local elections, some of which are only for towns. Out in the country, we have fewer elections. There are 15 different parties, BTW. I didn’t exaggerate for dramatic effect, but all the same I did overstate the number.

    Reply
  5. Blue Witch

    I thought I would vote for anyone who takes the trouble to put something through my door. The only leaflets so far are from the BNP and UKIP. I’ve had to change my mind.

    Reply

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