Since I left Scotland many moons ago, I have never lived anywhere where I had the right to vote. Many countries give you the right to live and work, but not to vote. Every country is different. The Yanks don't let residents vote (but then most Americans don't vote), everyone votes in the Philippines, queueing up for hours, everybody protests in Nepal and boycotts the actual election since the King decides everything there after the established politicians finish with their horse trading.
In Singapore everybody votes for the PAP (the ballots are numbered and they know who you voted for), the serious opposition is bankrupted or jailed and in Australia, you must vote, or at least get a ballot paper to spoil, except, if like me, you are a resident. This photo reminded me of voting. I was standing outside our local voting location handing out material for Mr X. I managed to see the how to vote card. Here in South Australia, if you don't vote above the line, for a political party, you have to number over 50 boxes with your preferences in ascending or descending order. If you vote above the line, all the backroom deals are put in to effect and your democratic X is traded for whatever favours have been agreed. Every box has to be filled. Pretty loony. I think that being able to vote for a few would be fine and leave the Monster Raving Loony Parties alone. It takes weeks to do all the tabulation and over a month before the parliament sits again. Such is democracy. One day I will get to vote for real. At the moment, I will limit my voting to the Governing Council at my kids' primary school. Now that is democracy on a chinese pattern. We never have dissenting votes or elections, since there is never more than one candidate and we are all very good natured and agree on everything (well almost everything).
Since I left Scotland many moons ago, I have never lived anywhere where I had the right to vote. Many countries give you the right to live and work, but not to vote. Every country is different. The Yanks don't let residents vote (but then most Americans don't vote), everyone votes in the Philippines, queueing up for hours, everybody protests in Nepal and boycotts the actual election since the King decides everything there after the established politicians finish with their horse trading. 
In Singapore everybody votes for the PAP (the ballots are numbered and they know who you voted for), the serious opposition is bankrupted or jailed and in Australia, you must vote, or at least get a ballot paper to spoil, except, if like me, you are a resident. This photo reminded me of voting. I was standing outside our local voting location handing out material for Mr X. I managed to see the how to vote card. Here in South Australia, if you don't vote above the line, for a political party, you have to number over 50 boxes with your preferences in ascending or descending order. If you vote above the line, all the backroom deals are put in to effect and your democratic X is traded for whatever favours have been agreed. Every box has to be filled. Pretty loony. I think that being able to vote for a few would be fine and leave the Monster Raving Loony Parties alone. It takes weeks to do all the tabulation and over a month before the parliament sits again. Such is democracy. One day I will get to vote for real. At the moment, I will limit my voting to the Governing Council at my kids' primary school. Now that is democracy on a chinese pattern. We never have dissenting votes or elections, since there is never more than one candidate and we are all very good natured and agree on everything (well almost everything).
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