Voting

So, I went and voted in today's special election for this district. It was because I felt I'd needed to (because I believe in voting).

Still, my fellow humans didn't make it easy.

Over the past week, this is my missed calls list: 

 

These were probably all people trying to "encourage" me to vote, and to remind me how "landmark" this election is.

I don't need anyone to tell me that. I realize the election is important, but not because of who's running or who's against whom. It's an exercise of a right, and one that puts someone in place who can vocalize my views (somewhat/somehow).

Having all these people call seemingly incessantly is just… rude. Having a mailbox, one day, with eight different flyers reminding me to vote is rude. And wasteful environmentally. Everything went in the recycling bin, yes, but goodness…

I don't even think I got this amount of grief in Florida when Obama was running.

I don't think other countries get nearly this invasive with elections, but I don't know. All I've seen of it is other countries sometimes have supremely high voter turnout.

But I voted. Now leave me alone.

International Elections

I'd had this thought as I was at work this afternoon to have separate blog entries where I try to look up information on various countries' elected leader candidates for their upcoming elections and then, basing it on what I've read and comparing it to my own beliefs and stances, I'd select the candidate for whom I'd most likely vote if I were actually able.

I was going to start with the French elections, but I was finding the research to be more of a challenge than the time or patience I have for it. It's kind of daunting just keeping up with one's own country's various jurisdictions and their electoral candidates to keep up with other places'.

So, I'd sworn that off.

Still, it's fascinating at least recognizing who these people are. Le Pen vs Macron vs Fillon vs whoever else (since these seem to be the biggest names I remember anyway) in France… And then I remember they'd elected Barrow almost 100 days ago in The Gambia… The Green Party candidate in Austria… What's his name again? Alexander van der Welle Bellen. I was kind of glad he won, from what I was hearing of his stances. I was pretty glad Justin Trudeau won in Canada.

I was more aware of the Canadian elections for a while than I was even the United States' until they'd winnowed down the candidate list.

I think Liberia is to elect someone pretty soon, and then Germany is going to have Chancellor Merkel defending her post yet again. Then the United Kingdom will be having general elections again pretty soon, so that's another thing.

I don't even know why these things fascinate me. It's not like I have anyone who shares this interest with me.