Voting can sometimes be a bit boring…
Yet if we neglect to vote, we not only dishonour the political activists and military heroes who gave their lives for this freedom, including the suffragettes, but can also be sure that low voter turnouts mean poor governance on all levels.
Voting, although sometimes thorny and tedious, is the important task of taking part in democracy. Any way we can use our vote is better than losing it, and history shows painfully that it’s ‘use it or lose it’ with the vote, just like free speech.
Historic rights and freedoms are lost through lack of challenging the politicians. Voting makes politicians wake up, face their electorate and, the more people who are engaged, the harder the questions they will have to answer.
A few years ago, there was a campaign that was (surprisingly) supported by all political parties. It showed a faceless character who started with “I don’t do politics!” Words that became his downfall.
In various scenes, he would complain only for his friend to constantly remind him that he doesn’t do politics.
“Why are the streets so dirty?”
“Why is the bus service so poor?”
“Why can I never get a doctors appointment?”
“Why does it seem that no-one takes any notice of the little man/woman/person?”
Any of this sound familiar? It is true that more than a few people think that ‘all politicians are corrupt’. But if YOU think that and YOU believe that, then the ONLY way to deal with that is to vote.
The one thing, above all others, that a politician fears the most – not having a job the day after an election.
YOUR say, YOUR vote and YOUR voice will get heard…if you vote.
With local elections coming up on Thursday 7th May, it would be good to see high voter participation in Camber.
REMINDER: Don’t forget to take your ID with you to the Polling Station, Memorial Hall, Camber (open 7am to 10pm).
