Yes, I have Voted

It’s the General Election Day in New Zealand last Saturday. This year people could vote early at special polling stations all over the country but a lot of us people who took the traditional approach to election came out in droves to cast their votes on the Election Day despite bad weather of gusty wind and rain.

This year I volunteered as a scrutineer at one of the smaller local polling stations. During my morning shift of a little bit over 3 hours, I saw more than 500 people turning up, many with umbrellas, coats, and hat. Some even turned up in gumboots and all. Many brought along their children, toddlers and babies with them. The older kids seemed so excited as they were allowed to drop the voting papers into the boxes.

More than six hundred thousand people casted their votes early this election but over 2 million turned up to vote on Saturday all over the country.  All in all, it’s nice to see people enthusiastically exercise their fundamental democratic right. The result might please some and disappoint many but whatever the outcome is, it’s a democratic process. Well done, New Zealand!

Note: Apologies to friends and acquaintances for not greeting you at the polling place. Hey, I was not a snob but as a scrutineer, I was not allowed to greet or talk to the voters