Friday
May072010
Election Day
Friday, May 7, 2010 at 11:16 AM 
It’s Election Day. And our polling station is, as usual, the village school.
I always enjoy casting my vote here. Not a pollster or hustler in sight. In fact, there’s no-one in sight…..except the presiding officer, occupied with his lunch.
‘Been busy?’ I ask. He nods vigorously. ‘Yes, there’s been a lot more than usual this time,’ he replies earnestly, setting his meal aside. Then he glances down at a sheet of paper where a list of numbers, representing voters, have been carefully entered towards the top of the page. He counts them. ‘Twenty-three!’ he announces, impressively. It’s one o’clock and polling has been underway for six hours.
A mini drama then ensues as I hand him my polling card and am told that I’m not entitled to vote in the general election. ‘Why not?’ I demand.
‘Because it says ONE VOTE ONLY on your card and there are two elections today: the general election and the local election. You can only vote in the local one.’
A confused altercation ensues; and is only resolved when a second officer, having finished his sandwiches, emerges from behind a screen to tell the first man that all this morning’s cards have said that. And, instantly, I’m no longer disenfranchised.
So I put my cross in the appropriate boxes; then am detained in idle chatter by the two men, who clearly welcome the distraction of a twenty-fourth voter crossing their threshold.
Eventually, I extricate myself from the amiable conversation and wander home; wondering - as I always do - just what presiding officers do for the other 364 days of the year, and all the years in between…..
Reader Comments (3)
Er.....I feel I should point out that I do know the election took place yesterday (the 6th) and not today (the 7th). I actually created this post early yesterday evening (the 6th); but a glitch with the hosting service meant the piece didn't find its way into the internet ether until today. Hundreds of years from now, someone will find this and wonder how I could possibly have been so dozy as not to notice that the election had already taken place...
I adore election day here in malaysia too! Thanks for sharing with us your election day! Have a lovely merry happy mother's day weekend! Love to you!
Ahhh, the pace of country life. I'd overdue for a little idle chatter and sandwich eating.