Who needs to vote??

Here in QLD we are coming up to a local election and referendum. Fun stuff. Don't we all love to get the candidates fancy flyers in the mail, the automated phone calls, seeing the signs and people randomly standing on the streets supporting their candidate? Does anyone else think about how much that stuff costs?! Surely that money can be better spent elsewhere. One of my pet hates is campaign material that focuses on the opposition. In the mail today I got a flyer that didn't tell me anything at all about anything someone was going to DO, but focuses solely on what the incumbent hasn't done. Take a guess about how much that makes me want to vote for you? What is wrong with a positive campaign? Tell me YOUR plans. I don't care for the sledging and negative campaigning.

Hm, tell me who you are and why I should vote for you again??

My phone started ringing at 9pm last night. 9 FREAKING PM. You know who it was? An automated survey about who I should vote for. Do you know how much that impressed me? Yeah, not at all. 

To top it off, I had to register for a postal ballot as I was going to be away (more on this to come, woo!) on election day. Plans changed and I'll be here now, but I digress. My postal ballot arrived yesterday. I put it on the table so that I wouldn't forget to fill it out and return it. I know, I know, I should have just done it then and there, put it in my handbag, and all would be good. But no. I did not do that. Last night before putting my little cherubs to bed I saw my envelope and got that sinking feeling. At first glance it all looked OK, phew. Lets just move that out of reach then. But wait. What's that on the floor? Oh yes, that's the specially printed sealable secret ballot envelope. Oh, and what's this. Do we have mice? Rats? Oh nooo, no no no. I have a Master J. A Mstr J who apparently thinks he's a GOAT and happily refused dinner, and instead nibbled on my ballots as a pre bed snack. Inside the envelope was some ripped up paper. Another ballot. There was NO way I could return these in this condition. I couldn't even seal the envelope.

You know what I got to do on my kid free day? Called the Electoral Commission to find out what the hell I need to do so I can vote. Due to a heavily congested phone line I even got to put my predicament in writing. Yeah, I wish I could see their face when they get that one. Looking forward to the reply...

So next time you get annoyed at having to vote, just think, you could have to tell someone your kid ate your ballot papers....

B x