Who says democracy's in crisis?

[alexsarll]

So I went to do my democratic duty by sitting in the park reading a so-so X-Men crossover - sorry, I mean by voting for whichever seemed like the least worst option in today's European elections, just by way of keeping the christians and the Nazis out. Went en route to signing on, round about school hometime; left extra time because I assumed a lot of mums would be there as part of the same trip, some with kids in tow, which always slows things down. And hey, even this close to the Andover Estate most mums are old enough to vote (I'm joking, of course - the Andover Estate has its own polling station).
There was precisely one other voter in there. And the ballot boxes looked worryingly reminiscent of shredders.

Comments

[missfrost.livejournal.com]

I was the ONLY voter in our place. And yes, see what you mean on the shredders.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Yeah, saw your post just after I put this up. I also passed two other stations today and saw nobody entering or leaving either; I suspect the mandate is going to be even more of a joke than usual.

[carsmilesteve.livejournal.com]

i have a horrible feeling (esp in london where there are no municipal elections) we might be looking at Sunderland South levels of turn out...

haha, actually checking on wiki that i meant sunderland south i see their general election turn out was 49.3% which, whilst shocking for GE, would be effing remarkable for the euros, apparently we managed 38% last time, so i guess the spread would be 27-30 this time, and i might even sell on that...

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

I know a surprising amount of politico-gamblers, though I can't help but feel slightly uneasy about the practice, especially when so few people are actually voting that it could lead to elections, like sports matches, decided by someone taking a bung. I mean, given what we've now had confirmed about the moral calibre of our representatives, and with the expenses regime about to be tightened up, how much would you have to slip one to say something which would constitute throwing the election?

[carsmilesteve.livejournal.com]

ah the thing is all the candidates would have to throw it if yr betting on overall turnout, unless you picked somewhere like sunderland south where they weigh the votes rather than count them, ie where voter revulsion led to staying away rather than switching...

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

OK, as a specific that one would be slightly harder to rig. And apart from anything else, I suppose paying candidates in the Euros to foster voter apathy would be a bit of a waste of bribe money.

[kiss-me-quick.livejournal.com]

I thought the boxes looked a bit shredder-like too. I was worried there'd be a queue this morning but no, I walked straight in. I think there might have been a couple of people on the other side but I was the only one at the desk for my street.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

And given you pretty much live in the polling station, one would hope your neighbours could be arsed to go vote at some point...

[kiss-me-quick.livejournal.com]

It is rather handily located for me!

[angelv.livejournal.com]

There were a few people in mine and no shredding. Are we Haringey types more politically conscious, more tidy, or was it just that we all went at the same time, on our way to work?

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

I imagine there might have been more of a rush then, aye - though Lizzy seems not to have found it so. Jo's just gone now so will ask her what the crowd was like when she returns, since that should have caught the commuter hometime.

[puzzled-anwen.livejournal.com]

I took my mum along to her polling station at lunchtime and we were the only ones there. She told me not to come into the booth with her (as she has cataracts and could only just read the paper) and I said "oh, I wouldn't dare, you've got a bigger [walking/symbol] stick than me!" and the ladies running the place said they'd had a visit from the police to check that there hadn't been any fights!

I think Hackney still uses the same ballot boxes they've had since the year dot, great hulking black metal boxes that you have to fold the now-massive papers many times to actually get them in.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Yeah, those I'm used to, and I think there was a brief spate of reinforced cardboard ones, but these looked hi-tech. Only not in a good way.

[atommickbrane.livejournal.com]

I think mine was just an actual bin! Hooray!

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Can I just comment on how impressively gay that icon is? Yes? Thank you.

[atommickbrane.livejournal.com]

x2

[puzzled-anwen.livejournal.com]

I like the oldness of the Hackney ones, myself. I am mostly pro-hi-techosity, but in some things you can't beat a bit of old skule.