Vote!

I have done my democratic duty and voted for one of the losing candidates in the local County Council election.  I know he will lose as the Conservatives and their unthinking lackeys dominate this area.  
The Polling Station is in the museum which is helpful as our boss takes the role of Presiding Officer.'  I spoke to him this morning, he had plenty of time to talk, and discovered that he could expect over two thousand people eager to vote today.  I asked how many had arrived by then, around eleven O'clock, and he reckoned just over forty people had voted.  There are of course postal votes to be added but how many dozen of those would arrive?  The town is divided into three for County Council voting and the total eligible constituents in our third is 14,367.  I suspect the count will finish early.
With the voting beginning at seven in the morning and continuing until ten at night the boss will have had a tiring day.  How he eats I did not dare to ask, I did offer to make him tea, but I suspect he will be off tomorrow!  Actually the suspicion has come too me that this vote will not be counted until tomorrow, to save costs I assume, which makes sense with so small a vote.  
June the eighth will of course see the General Election and a far bigger turnout of Conservative voters desperate to vote for the party that lowers their taxes.  The fact that that party has raised them continually behind their backs as they have done since time began has been ignored by such sheep and the cross goes to their man, who I can tell you will be grateful but really not be interested in them, his eyes are on promotion!      

Unless there is a major controversy few people care who runs the County or Local Councils, they just want good folks to get on with it and leave them alone.  However such an attitude ignores the fact that these voters, non voters that ought to be, are the first to complain about local taxes, housing, roads, hospitals and any and everything else.  When asked why they didn't vote they say "It makes no difference."  This is true and the reason it makes no difference is that you DIDN'T VOTE!
Local Council elections are more likely to draw crowds if there is a dispute.  Many around here are grumbling about vast housing projects that are being dumped on their doorsteps, often in 'Green Belt' areas.  This does bring folks to vote, I note no election for local Councillors is happening at this time when plans are being considered, and this can see people removed from their comfy seat.  This will not happen with this vote.
It must not be said all Councillors are bad, corrupt or self seeking, though many are, some do want to change the world, some wish to learn the ropes and go on into parliament, some dream of high office, many just wish to improve their local area and these ought to be commended for their work.
The public at large however remain skeptical of Councillors motives and many stories of corrupt behaviour do not lessen these fears.
Anyway who wishes to spend days arguing about the siting of Public Lavatories or Street Signs?  And who wishes to spend many days discussing local issues with members of the public?  Not me!