Thursday, May 03, 2007

Polling Day in Moreton Hall

So, the council elections have come up again and it's time to trot off to vote for those who will (hopefully) serve you and your community well.

So who do you chose and how do you chose? Do you base your decision on who has done what, using the knowledge that has come your way from campaign material or what has been said in the press? Or do you use the lead of the national party and make your decision relating to national politics? Maybe you have had a need to contact currently serving councillors and they have served you well. Surely this might sway your vote one way or the other?

Being an interested observer of and not a great debater on politics, I will not relay for whom I voted but I will at least divulge how I decided.

I partly based my decision on some excellent informative campaign material that came through the door. Other information that was distributed by another candidate I found to be very negative and this swayed me from voting for them.

My decision was also based on results. Certain councillors already in post had already acted on previous queries that I had registered with them in the last year. So I have already seen positive results and this contributed to my decision.

There has been lots of controversy in the press recently concerning some of the candidates and this had a negative impact on my vote.

My choice had nothing to do with who I would vote for in a national election (I have a feeling that decision may just be a lot more difficult when the time comes)...

...and as for voting for any candidate who came around canvassing, well this was easy. We did not get anyone knocking on our door! If they had, they might have just influenced my decision.

So what about the number of crosses on the ballot slip? No I did not use them all. I did not see the need to!

Whoever is elected to serve Moreton Hall and St Edmundsbury, maybe I voted for you or maybe I didn't. Even if I didn't, I hope you serve us well.

2 Comments:

Christina S said...

How you choose who to vote for is a very interesting question.
I too was wondering about this today!

At one point I got in a bit of a tizz, and very bogged down reading the leaflets and trying to make sense of it all. So I emailed Cllr David Nettleton in distress (not my own local councillor but a friend) and he gave me some very helpful advice - to use my instincts. Which was quite obvious, but I hadn't thought of it!!

So I went to the polling booth still not totally sure where I'd put the crosses. Then when I got there, they just seemed to click into the right places, LOL - I HOPE!

I like your list of requests for Moreton Hall. Email it to the elected candidates tomorrow, while they're still feeling enthusiastic!!

Her indoors said...

It's been an absolute minefield hasn't it, especially after the last couple of months.

I used my voting opportunity for my 5 year old to practise drawing crosses. He did put them where I told him too, honest. I didn't just let him loose. The polling staff were watching so I am sure it was still legal.

Hope you've had a great time at the count. I've been keeping my eyes peeled on the council website. Nothing to report as of yet, but will email the chosen ones asap.

http://www.stedmundsbury.gov.uk/sebc/live/BoroughElection2007resultsMtoW.cfm