AV Referendum: My first time voting
The points are one and the same and the result of the AV referendum have not even been announced - the feeling of disappointment might only worsen when the results are released.
In theory, voting sounds amazing, regardless of the system. I imagine walking into the polling station, queuing inside, chatting politics with your neighbours, go into a booth, put your mark on the paper and slip it into a ballot box.
However, the reality differed immensely to my imagination! There was no lining up involved, the youth centre was empty, there was no chatting (between the attendants and voters), the booth was more of a cupboard. Totally unimpressed is my verdict.
You can say that I have glamorised voting too much, having studied it for the past 5 years but I say; putting an "X" on a A6 sheet of paper is not enough! Isn't voting meant to be a community event?
I won't apologise for having grand beliefs about voting and I certainly won't feel bad for going to the polling station before 9 o'clock. But I will say that the peak voting hour was not stated in my A-level text books or History books, so I might have gone at the wrong time.
Next time I will go later in the day or after work but I somehow doubt the experience will be different. The crusty pencil I used to put an X in the box will undoubtedly be the same in years to come and by then, less people will feel engaged with the political process.
My expectation that voting should be a community event is not delusional. The "X" on that voting slip will enter a democratic process when it leave the polling station but where is the political engagement at the grass roots/ in the community/on my street? Most people must think it is meaningless.
The main argument for AV is that under First Past the Post, votes are wasted. To be honest, the votes aren't wasted. Also you can't call FPTP unrepresentative because no matter your MP's party affiliation they meant to represent the concerns of all constituents. What is actually required is constitutional reform because MPs are more likely to tow the party line than listen to the concerns of constituents.
But I digress, I mean that if BBC reports a low voter turn out, then *sigh*
I have deluded myself into thinking that everyone wants a vote - judging by the emptiness of my polling station that BBC news report is already being drafted.
What is the point of AV, if Voter turnout is low?
Are any other first time voters disappointed?
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