At around quarter past nine this morning I had got dressed, cleaned my teeth, weighed myself and I had more importantly voted in both the local elections and the referendum on changing the voting system. At my local polling station it was full of older people (I think I was the youngest by about 50 years or so) but I forged ahead and placed my x next to the local Lib Dem candidate and on the referendum for AV I voted Yes.
Now in all honesty I was a little bit torn on the former. I have not heard a thing from the local Lib Dem candidate. Not a thing. In the post I have received two pieces from the standing independent councillor and one piece of literature from the Tory candidate. I read the independents views and threw the Tory piece on the floor by my door never to be read. There were four names on the ballot paper – the big three and the independent. In all honesty this is a two-horse race between the Tory and the independent with Labour and the Lib Dems fighting over the wooden spoon. So in a way I felt my Lib Dem vote was wasted but now I’m a member I’m duty bound to vote for them whereas had I not been a member I may well have voted for Ron Woodley – the independent – just to try and keep the Tory out.
On the AV referendum it was more straight forward. I think AV stinks but FPTP is even worse. I’m very much an STV guy or PR but FPTP is a system for a two-horse race and in this day and age we aren’t in a two-party system. The Lib Dems are a very significant party and in certain pockets the Greens, UKIP and yes even the BNP have legitimate support. This makes the current voting system out of date and AV is at least a step towards a voting system that would be fairer and more adequate for the needs of the British electorate.
So there we have it. I fear that I have not voted for a winner today but heck I have voted and that is all I can do.
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