Tweet
For lots of the country (except London and Wales, I think), many councils will be having local elections this Thursday to decide if the good old public voter such as myself wants a change of councillor representing our local area, and that means a nearby public building becoming a Polling Station for the day. My own area is included, I had my Poll Card delivered in the post around six weeks ago, and I am going to my local Polling Station at some point on Thursday afternoon - indeed, I just love the freedom of expressing oneself inside a polling booth as an adult, having one's own views that I am entitled to.
I feel just as much excitement on an election or referendum day as an adult as I did about birthdays and Christmases as a child over 30 years ago. One of councillors who is standing in my ward is such a good friend who had helped me so much in the past four years since he was last re-elected, and I believe that is how they should be - to support their constituents as a way of saying "thank you" for being part of the majority of voting for them at the most recent election. My first X will be against his name.
And of course, the Polling Station itself - mine happens to be a church - I have only ever been inside it on election and referendum days, and I have vouched that one day I will step inside the building for the weekly service one Sunday morning! When I lived at my old place, the Polling Station used to be a youth club which again I only ever went in on election days, in fact, I had frequently referred to that building as the "Polling Station" all year round, even though it only had that function one, probably twice a year at the most.
We used to get my Junior School closed on the Thursday used as a Polling Station (my family didn't live in the same ward at that time, but we still got a day off nevertheless). In that area, the local library (which had always been conveniently closed on Thursdays) was used as a Polling Station instead. I was disappointed that my Comprehensive School wasn't part of this when I moved up there! I suppose when I was younger, a day off from school was also one reason why elections were so exciting, and probably one would miss that excitement if elections in this country would be moved to the weekend just like a lot of other countries - something that I had actually contacted the Electoral Commission about a few years ago.
Indeed, it fascinates me how many different public buildings have been used as Polling Stations - most of them have obviously been used are usually your average community centre, youth club, church, Primary School, and so on - of course its regular Thursday activities would have to be cancelled as a result! I suppose that the good point about churches being used as Polling Stations is that Thursdays are obviously quiet for churches rather than weekend days because of weddings and regular Sunday services, but on the other hand, the connection with religion and politics together might make people think that a church would not be an appropriate place for voting in an election or a referendum. I am impartial in that respect.
I loved the picture submitted to Private Eye which showed a youth club on election day with Polling Station signs stuck outside, next to a permanent sign fixed onto the wall with mouldy screws, which said "please do not sit on the fence". It's also great to find out where different Polling Stations are - I saw on the BBC News website a few years ago that places selected include a laundrette, a fish and chip shop and even a hotel reception room! When travelling on the bus on election day, I also try and spot how many buildings have the black and white Polling Station sign outside it!
Without talking politics of course, do any of you also vote on election day, or do you think its a waste of time, or are simply not bothered with the democratic progress? I always know who I am going to vote for straight away, which I am not at liberty of saying on a public forum such as this one...
I feel just as much excitement on an election or referendum day as an adult as I did about birthdays and Christmases as a child over 30 years ago. One of councillors who is standing in my ward is such a good friend who had helped me so much in the past four years since he was last re-elected, and I believe that is how they should be - to support their constituents as a way of saying "thank you" for being part of the majority of voting for them at the most recent election. My first X will be against his name.
And of course, the Polling Station itself - mine happens to be a church - I have only ever been inside it on election and referendum days, and I have vouched that one day I will step inside the building for the weekly service one Sunday morning! When I lived at my old place, the Polling Station used to be a youth club which again I only ever went in on election days, in fact, I had frequently referred to that building as the "Polling Station" all year round, even though it only had that function one, probably twice a year at the most.
We used to get my Junior School closed on the Thursday used as a Polling Station (my family didn't live in the same ward at that time, but we still got a day off nevertheless). In that area, the local library (which had always been conveniently closed on Thursdays) was used as a Polling Station instead. I was disappointed that my Comprehensive School wasn't part of this when I moved up there! I suppose when I was younger, a day off from school was also one reason why elections were so exciting, and probably one would miss that excitement if elections in this country would be moved to the weekend just like a lot of other countries - something that I had actually contacted the Electoral Commission about a few years ago.
Indeed, it fascinates me how many different public buildings have been used as Polling Stations - most of them have obviously been used are usually your average community centre, youth club, church, Primary School, and so on - of course its regular Thursday activities would have to be cancelled as a result! I suppose that the good point about churches being used as Polling Stations is that Thursdays are obviously quiet for churches rather than weekend days because of weddings and regular Sunday services, but on the other hand, the connection with religion and politics together might make people think that a church would not be an appropriate place for voting in an election or a referendum. I am impartial in that respect.
I loved the picture submitted to Private Eye which showed a youth club on election day with Polling Station signs stuck outside, next to a permanent sign fixed onto the wall with mouldy screws, which said "please do not sit on the fence". It's also great to find out where different Polling Stations are - I saw on the BBC News website a few years ago that places selected include a laundrette, a fish and chip shop and even a hotel reception room! When travelling on the bus on election day, I also try and spot how many buildings have the black and white Polling Station sign outside it!
Without talking politics of course, do any of you also vote on election day, or do you think its a waste of time, or are simply not bothered with the democratic progress? I always know who I am going to vote for straight away, which I am not at liberty of saying on a public forum such as this one...
Comment