I didn’t vote.
In my defence, though, it wasn’t deliberate – I had intended to vote.
I can actually think of quite a few good reasons to abstain in the European Elections. Obvious ones, like ‘I actually have a life’, ‘my dog ate my ballot paper’ or ‘what election?’ are good enough for the majority of people, and certainly in previous years apathy has been plenty good enough for me. I had been thinking, however, that this year would be different – in 2009 I would end my run of votes for the extremely popular ‘none of the above’ party, and help choose my representative in the European Parliament.
Unfortunately, due to a number of factors including cock-up1 and, indeed, conspiracy2 I haven’t made it to a polling station yet, and now that I’m home, the benefits of voting do not seem like enough to make me cycle half way across town, and back, again.
I was going to pretend I had, you know. Just claim that I voted Libertas, that clearly my vote didn’t amount to anything, and that this whole democracy thing is a waste of time.
I can’t deceive you all, though. So, sorry everybody. If the BNP get a seat in East Midlands, I’m sure it’s my fault entirely.
I don’t know how I’ll ever get over such a catastrophically irrelevant occurrence.