Vote 2014

We are due for the next general parliamentary election shortly. In fact, in just over a week, Saturday 20 September.

But I shall not be going to vote on Saturday.

Why? Because they will chase me away: “You cannot vote a second time in the same election, buddy!” You see, I already cast my vote earlier this week. A limited number of polling stations have been open for two weeks, originally meant to accommodate those voters who cannot be present in person on voting day in their own constituency, the enlarged the scope, with the thinking,

Hey, let’s allow anyone to vote in the fortnight to the run-up, not just the few that can’t be in their hometown on election day. It will make everyone’s life easier…

Did it make my life easier?
9:15 --  I walked into the Public Library after dropping off some courier documents at the Post Office (virtually next door). I greet the lady and two gents sitting behind a trestle. There are no other potential voters there.

9:16 --  Having located my name in the alphabetical register, a neatly printed and bound official publication, I am informed, “You’re page 5 line 49” as she tears out my sheet, which becomes my ballot paper, “Please make two ticks, one for the Party of your choice and one for the Candidate of your choice in the booth behind me, and then pop the form into the middle box.”

9:18 – In the ballot “booth”, I see the form with all the parties and the candidates, as expected. Not difficult. I remember that the New Zealand authorities want ticks and not crosses on the official papers (see Bloke On The Bus: Make A Tick Not A Cross) . I make my two ticks and I pop the folded page into the centre box. Done and dusted.

9:19 – Back in the parking lot. Four minutes flat.

Today I received a voting pack from the electoral commission to remind us that 20 September is voting day, and each person’s vote is important. On the next page, the paragraphs drive home what a diverse combination of immigrants make up New Zealand. There is a paragraph in each of 25 languages, namely: Maori, Cook Island Maori, Samoan, Tongan, Korean, Chinese Traditional, Chinese Simplified, Tokelauan, Niuen, French, Spanish, Tagalog, Somali, Farsi, Arabic, Vietnamese, Thai, Hindi, Gujarati, Japanese, Khmer, Punjabi, Burmese, Tamil and Russian.

I recall thinking how cosmopolitan the City of Auckland seemed when we were there on holiday for a few days back in 2011.

We fall into the Otaki electoral division, in which 6 candidates are standing for election, namely Maddy Drew (Green), Nathan Guy (National), Anne Lovelock (Conservative), Rob McCann (Labour), Fred McDonald and Amanda Vickers (Independents).

The list of parties standing in this election is: (1) ACT New Zealand, (2) Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party, (3) Ban 1080, (4) Conservative, (5) Democrats for Social Credit, (6) Focus New Zealand, (7) Green Party, (8) Internet Mana Party, (9) Labour Party, (10) Maori Party, (11) National Party, (12) New Zealand First Party, (13) NZ Independent Coalition, (14) The Civilian Party, and (15) United Future.