So I was assuming everyone in Queensland knows there is an election coming up (on 31 January just in case you don’t actually know…). And then I read the local paper yesterday, and Ty from Coolum admits to a reporter he actually didn’t know there was going to be an election until the reporter mentioned it!
OK then.
Actually he does say he just got married, but seriously, how do you miss the billboards, the TV ads, the radio ads, the dedicated volunteers waving at you as you drive by almost every street corner, the junk mail, the chatter All. Over. Twitter. And all the rest of it?
Today’s junk mail.
I’ve made the decision to screen all phone calls on our home phone until 1 February. Yes, I know. We still have a home phone. Actually I pretty much never answer it election or no election as the only people who phone me on that number are telemarketers who I never want to talk to. And this is despite being on the Do Not Call Register. Which is the best thing ever (and also for mobile phones, as I recently discovered).
My screening decision has so far paid off, as there have been between two and five hangups EVERY DAY since the election was announced. Largely I assume because I live in an electorate where the LNP guy won his seat off the Labor incumbent by only 72 votes in 2012. Which really highlights that every vote does count.
If you live in Queensland and you haven’t ever enrolled to vote, you’re sadly too late for this election. However if you need to change your name or address, you have until 6pm on 30 January to do so. Given this year you will need to show ID when you vote, it needs to match your name and address on the electoral role. Go to the Australian Electoral Commission website to change your details today.
Well I guess not everyone uses social media or watches the news. I have people in my family (adults in their 40s) who have no idea what’s going on because “oh the news is so depressing, why watch it?” or they’re busy with young families and so on. Still, it must be really expensive for candidates and their parties to try and cover all bases!
Voting is a privilege and a responsibility and I can’t fathom those who choose not to vote or choose to post a donkey vote. It isn’t that hard to be informed and to pick a side, even if the side you choose changes with the weather.
As for the deluge of phone calls you’ve been receiving, I haven’t had any so maybe I don’t live in a particularly precarious seat. Good idea on the screening though!
I absolutely agree Gina. I can’t imagine not voting.
The waving people drive me nuts. In my area they do it in a fairly distracting & high speed place too. I just don’t know what it achieves (other than irritating me).
same!! I keep waiting for a waving person to get hit by a distracted driver!