So many choices. Hmm does my vote really count?Today was state election day in Victoria and like every other election day in Victoria the Pepper home was divided on who to vote for. Now our family isn't overtly political. I have grown up in a family that taught me to value the freedoms of our great nation but not one of us has a desire to participate in the operations that keep those freedoms from extinguishing. I have always liked election days whether it be state or national because it always meant three things:
1. Dad gets the chance to ride his political high horse and proudly tell us he will not tell us who he voted for. In all the time i can remember my dad has been very protective on who he has voted for and if i even try and get an answer out of him, i'm greeted with a swift "that's none of your business." I have never ever found out who he has voted for in any election.
2. My local election day booth is my old primary school so a feeling of nostalgia kicks in everytime i have to vote and i usually run into someone i used to go to primary school with and chat to them for 20 minutes. Plus i run into a few locals and chat to them as well.
3. There has always been a sausage sizzle and cake stall at the primary school as well.
These three things have become election day necessities for me yet being away from home since March 2004 has seen some changes in election day mentality. Dad once again told me "its none of your business" when i asked him who i voted for. Mum was more open when she told me she voted Liberal. I voted Liberal too though i didn't really feel my voice was being heard in this election as i didn't feel strongly about any of the candidates. How could !? I wasn't here!
The feeling of community that i used to get whilst at the primary school was gone this year. I didn't have to wait to vote and there was so cake stall or sausage sizzle. This was sacrelidge in my book as election day turned into one of the few chances to experience what life was like growing up here. People knew each other and stopped to say hi. The mothers committee ran the sausage sizzle and the cake stall to raise funds for the school. There's a buzz of anticipation walking up to the volunteers from the various parties and trying to avoid them ramming "how to vote" cards down your throat. The silence before voting still remains but that seems to be the only correlation i have between all the election days i've been to.
I felt like i had lost something today.
2 comments:
You voted Liberal? Wow, what would Mark Latham think? I voted for the Greens in the Lower house and some party called People Power(who I didn't know and are probably some racist right-wing party). Mum voted labor but like you, I had no real interest in voting and only voted for the parties first on the ballot-AKA a donkey vote.
Who's the hotty with the pamphlets? I'd vote for him anyday!
xxx
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