Election Editorial

Time to put up or shut up

The local elections come around once every five years and it is your opportunity to shape local politics until the end of this decade.

If you don’t wield your democratic vote then you’re disenfranchised.  More to the point you’ve disenfranchised yourself.

Not only is it necessary to vote but also to cast your ballot in such a way as to maximise it.

Ireland is very rare amongst the nations of this earth in using PR-STV (Proportional Representation, Single Transferable Vote).  So the Irish are almost unique in being able, indeed encouraged to, vote tactically.

You strengthen your voice and your vote by voting past 1, 2 and 3. It’s the difference between getting ‘your’ man or woman into the council chamber and getting ‘your’ men or women ‘in the door’ politically.

Needless to say the prophets on the bar stools will do everything bar cast their vote. Sad but their delusions are sadder. So exercise your democratic right!