Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts

Monday, November 9, 2009

voting day

There was frost on the ground today as I set out for the office and the polling station.
We are having a federal by-election. It is not complicated. There were no line ups. I had just moved here, so I was not on the voters list. I presented an ID (my passport) and proof that I lived within the riding (my lease). I was given a ballot. I marked an X with a pencil beside my choice, folded it up and then it went into the ballot box: nothing electronic. The votes will be counted as soon as the polls shut. The first returns should be in less than an hour later. By the end of the evening the winner, our new Member of Parliament, will be declared. So I often wonder how it is that some other countries get it so messed up!