The Similkameen News Leader
Editorial
September 30, 2008
ELECTION TIME CAN BE FUN
Okay, I have to make this very clear in the beginning.
I am a voter. I don't think I've ever not voted in a local, provincial or federal election I was qualified to vote in since I became old enough to vote.
I strongly believe that I do not have the right to criticize any elected official representing me or my community if I did not make the effort to vote in the election that representative won.
That being said, I have a confession to make.
I did spoil my ballot - once.
It was a few years ago and I've never done that since. A spoiled ballot is a wasted vote, I eventually reasoned and therefore I forfeited my right to say anything negative about whoever won that election as I spoiled my ballot, which was a stupid move on my part as I thought I was protesting the system or the choices or whatever it was that possessed me to mark more than one name.
I'm sure it wasn't because I couldn't make up my mind. Choosing who to vote for has always been a simple process for me, and, no, it's not because I support one particular party over another.
I am a sucker for incumbents, though.
That doesn't mean I don't like to see change, I think it has a lot to do with the length of the average term in office.
I'll use local government as an example. It's a three year term. It's written practically in stone but how much can a complete room of newcomers do in three years? Maybe, under the right circumstances they can do a lot of good. Three years is also a lot of time to cause a lot of damage.
I can't stress this enough, I think it's very important to have a level of consistency in our elected positions. Sure, a new face or two often enhances things, but I think consistency is the best way to go which probably explains my personal tendency to lean towards incumbents.
But that's just me.
All-Candidate Forums are - in my view - not a lot of help to me but I have seem where they are a very useful tool and valuable resource to voters who don't really know the candidates or the policies they or their party support.
It's also a pretty good excuse to have coffee and snacks with your neighbour and talk about politics for a change since the weather hasn't really been all that interesting to talk about lately.
Regardless of where you stand on elections, it's really important to vote. Especially if you think your vote doesn't matter. There's been many elections decided by only a few votes and maybe could have gone the other way of someone who didn't think their vote counted had actually voted.
Or didn't spoil their ballot.
