So do you know yet? Have you made up your mind if so-and-so deserves your vote? Have you decided if you can trust your candidate to really care or has he/she the look of a chancer about them? Do you feel respected when you hear them talk or do you feel a just a little bit patronised. Do you feel that whether you vote or not will not impact on the result. Or your life? Or the life of those around you? Apart from those who are actively involved and engaged with the parties and candidates, there are many who feel that voting does not matter and so they don’t bother. So there is a dilemma. Do we participate in a politics of cynicism or a politics of hope?
Change never starts from the top down. Change is almost always inititiated from the bottom up. And it can take time. And good candidates. And wise decisions. Popularity should never be a determining factor for the election of a candidate. Were that to be the case, our Dail would be full of hail fellows well met. As it can be. Great characters to have at a party. oO a funeral, but to work on your behalf?
Nor should we vote for candidates based on how warmly they greet us every few years. We should vote for candidates based on how well we think they can do the job. Use the information you have to make an informed choice. If a candidate has relevant experience, then use that as a standard on which to base your evaluation. Has he/she been successful in other spheres? Have they been successful in the offices they have held? Have they delivered for your community? Or have they just delivered for their own community?
We should elect candidates who can be good role models for the next generation. Don’t elect someone because they have a certain name. Elect someone if you want their party to have a stronger voice in the Dail. Or if you truly believe they can make a difference. Have they a different vision? A new way of thinking for a new generation?
Wouldn’t it be just great if we had the kind of turnout we had last summer for the referendum when everybody who voted did so with a great conviction in their hearts, no matter which side of the argument they fell upon. Wouldn’t it be great if Galway elected a team of TDs who truly represent these three constituencies and who will go forward to represent it with a massive amount of care and concern. Woudn’t it be great if we had a mix of deputies who will be forced to work together for the betterment of the region. Wouldn’t it be great to be here in five years saying, jaypers, they did a great job.
By electing the right people, we can influence how that happens. By not voting, you can’t. Make sure you vote and let us deserve the TDs we have next week. Make your vote work. Send it forth like a racing pigeon and follow the counts and see where it lands.
The count opens at 9am on Saturday and right from the off, the Galway Advertiser will be bringing you the news from the three count centres, so if you follow us or myself on Twitter or like us on Facebook or log onto advertiser.ie, you will have a complete account of who are the winners and losers. And you can let us know how you feel. C’mon Galway. Tog out, let’s select our team.
Finally, well done to the candidates for having the bravery to run. Good luck to them all.
