Thursday, May 6, 2010

Election Day!

So it's finally Election Day here in the UK! Polling stations have been open since 7 a.m. this morning, and the whole country (well, at least 20 per cent) is eagerly awaiting the results of what the media is claiming to be 'the most exciting election of the last 50 years'. Will it or won't it be a hung parliament? Will Nick Clegg (otherwise known as the White Obama -- no, I'm not kidding -- come out on top in a triumph for change?

Although I'm not yet quite a British citizen (two more weeks!), as a member of the Commonwealth I am allowed to cast my vote. So bright and early, I trotted down to the nearby library to have a go at exercising my civic duty. The polling station was quite small compared to the one at home, but manned by four smiling faces who located me on the voter registry and handed me two papers: one white, one green. Gah?

Pretending I knew what I was doing, I was pointed to a nearby cubicle where I learned that green was for council elections and white was for the general election. Scanning the lengthy list for the general election, I had to giggle: where else on earth would you have a 'Lady Catherine' running (for the UKIP, naturally)? I made my X (oddly, there was no box to make the X in -- and I can assure you the X was not made by a Conservative name), then put my ballot in the box.

Will a change be coming? Either way, I've done my part for the politics of my adopted nation!

6 comments:

Karin @ Cafe Bebe said...

Well done you! I think it's important to vote no matter what your circumstances. Well, make that, provided you are legally allowed to vote. I filed my absentee ballot in 2008 in the US and was very proud to do it. How interesting to experience voting in 2 different countries. Congrats! ;)
Karin

India Drummond said...

Wait.. you mean you foreigners are allowed to vote?!?!? Alert the press!

Hee hee.. this was my first national election since becomming a citizen a couple of years ago. I do love to vote!

Ellen Brickley said...

I know what result I have my fingers crossed for :) Regardless of the outcome, well done for doing your bit!

DJ Kirkby said...

I didn't know that you weren't naturalised yet! I've been official for 12 years now but still always worry that I'm not REALLY a Brit.

Ann said...

Congratulations and well done for taking your right to vote seriously, taking your pen in hand and using it where it counts. The ballot paper.

kanishk said...

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