and the choices come

Voting Day!

I've been quiet here about the London Mayoral Election campaigns, out of a sense that I ought to try and be non-party-political.

My principles say that I can try and tell generic-you to vote but not try and tell you who to vote for. Pesky things, principles.

*sigh*

Go! Vote! Be informed, and exercise your democratic rights!


***

I hit my local polling station on the way into work this morning, where there was a small queue, and a team of three mid-twenties guys manning the tables and patiently explaining the voting process over and over and over again. Patience of saints. It's not complicated, but it is more fiddly than a single-ballot, single-vote would be, so it can't hurt to have the process re-enforced on the day.

I do wonder how much the opinion poll results are affected by being based on traditional 'first past the post' thought processes - certainly both the surveys I've been invited to participate in were only asking for a first choice, not first and second.

I truly hope that the two-vote mayoral ballot will give the 'mainstream minority' candidates a chance, as my first choice is neither of the two front runners. It's quite refreshing to have the tactical votes advice be to give your first vote where you actually want it to go, and then apply your second as insurance against the worst case scenario!

(I also hope that turn out is high enough, and the general population of London sane enough to keep the BNP and co out of the London assembly. The alternative doesn't bear thinking about.)