On Thursday I was on duty at the local polling station for sixteen and a half hours. During that time more than five hundred electors came through the door. From first time voters and students to doddery pensioners with walking sticks.
A portable polling booth had been set up in the middle of the church hall. It was divided into four secret quadrants.
In the middle of the afternoon a furtive man stepped haltingly into the room. He looked this way and that and had a slightly wild expression on his face. We gave him his voting slip and then he went to the farthest quadrant to cast his vote. We could see his legs but not the rest of his body. There was no one else in the polling station at that time.
And then we heard him making a series of animal-like grunts as no doubt he read the list of candidates. It took him a couple of minutes to complete the process and when he finally emerged I fully expected him to have taken on the appearance of a werewolf with fur all over his face and bloodshot eyes. My colleague had thought the same and we chuckled about it when the gentleman departed: in cinemas now - "The Polling Booth Werewolf".
There are other tales I could tell about the day but what I mostly want to say is that my colleague and I agreed that 99% of the people we met were pleasant and well-mannered. They smiled, they said "hello", they looked you in the eye. As a small sample of England's current population they suggested that civility and decency remain the norms in this country. To me these people represented the silent majority who don't get airtime or headlines but go about their law-abiding lives with dignity, pursuing achievable dreams, seeking happiness and contentment. It was nice to meet them - even the werewolf!
Years ago I used to hand out "How to Vote" cards on election days...this was back in the early to mid 70s when I was a active member of the local Liberal Party b1`qranch...North Toowong branch...in Brisbane. I was also secretary to the then chairman of the branch. He, a few years later, became Qld Attorney General for a period of time. I was also during that period a delegate to a Liberal Party Convention - 1974.
ReplyDeleteThe Liberal Party, of course, is the major centre-right political party here in Australia. I always have been a Liberal or Coalition supporter...and always will be. The Liberal–National Coalition, commonly known simply as The Coalition. The Coalition is made up of the Liberal Party and the National Party of Australia (previously known as the Country Party and National Country Party).
I'm pretty sure I've made mention of most of the above previously.
I enjoyed voting days when I played an active role. I enjoy voting on voting days. I have never, and will never not vote. I love living in a democratic country, and that I have the right to vote...the right to vote the way I want to...in what I believe.
I also enjoy meeting and speaking with nice people; and I do so often, even though I live a quiet, reclusive life...by personal choice.
I often say to people that Australia has the right idea when it comes to voting. When you are part of a society you have a duty to vote - even if you choose to spoil your ballot paper.
DeleteI've never "spoiled" my ballot paper, Yorkie. I take voting, and my democratic right to do so very seriously.
DeleteTo be able to vote, and vote in the correct manner...to vote for what I believe in...is highly important to me.
In this sense you are exactly like me Lee.
DeleteVoting makes me feel somewhat like I do when I go to the library- that THIS is how civilization is supposed to be. That THIS is what humans can accomplish.
ReplyDeleteThat is why it is so very important to protect our democratic processes from interference by Russians and others.
DeleteThat is no doubt true -- about the silent majority -- but I think I could do without that werewolf guy!
ReplyDeleteWerewolves are never silent. They grunt and howl. They belong to the noisy minority.
DeleteI'll admit that when you said a "furtive" man with a wild look slipped into a booth and proceeded to "grunt in an animal like way" and took several minutes to "complete the process" I had a terrible premonition of where you were going with that...😳 I don't know about werewolves but he MIGHT have had hair growing on his palms.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about the fundamental decency of most people, but then you have to ask yourself how fundamentally decent people can cheerfully vote for monsters.
I'd rather take my chances with werewolves than Johnson or Trump.
Unfortunately A.Werewolf did not appear on the ballot paper Jennifer...but I like your take on this!
DeleteI think a lot of people barked at the moon on Thursday.
ReplyDeleteThe Blonde Fuhrer deliberately arranged the election for a full moon day when there would be lunatics abroad.
DeleteJennifer has introduced a whole new idea of what he might be doing.
ReplyDeleteWhere his trousers around his ankles? Although men do have flies.
Was his voting card wet or sticky when he handed it back?
So many questions and yes, I always go for the gutter. Ask my co-workers:)
I have the face of a nun and the mind of a hooker:)
I know that rugby is played in some quarters of Canada and the term "hooker" applies to a position in a rugby team. That is what you meant isn't it Lily?
DeleteObviously
DeleteAaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh. Not where his trousers but were his trousers, although where works too as in, where were his trousers?
ReplyDeleteWas Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh the blood-curdling cry of a she-devil?
DeleteI knew our Paula would be going home crying as soon as I saw the number of self-confessed conservatives in the queue.
ReplyDeleteWhy didn't you emit one of your worst farts Mr Dunham? That would have driven the blues away!
DeleteMine don't smell.
Delete...and I'm a banana.
DeleteI have worked elections and except for the long hours, it's been rewarding.
ReplyDeleteI guess they pay you more in Canada.
DeleteYou mean you didn't get paid? You're too dedicated.
DeleteI remember when I was a young girl that we got Election Day off of work and school. Not all elections, mind you, but federal elections. I thought it was wonderful that parents were able to take their children with them and the children could learn about becoming a good citizen. To me, it is a privilege and honor to cast a vote, to think you somehow might make a difference, to hope that because of people who vote, we might hold onto our fragile Democracy.
ReplyDeleteIt matters doesn't it Donna? There is nothing cool about opting out of the democratic process and leaving it up to others to decide. However, as in the USA we have had problems over here with Russian interference. I suspect that Boris Johnson's real name is Boris Johnsonski.
DeleteMy belief is...has always been...and will always be...if a person doesn't cast a vote, that person has no right to whinge and complain. The best advice for them is for them to keep their mouths shut.
ReplyDeleteI'm proud of having the right to vote. I respect that right.