Voting in the UK is a bit, well, dry. We should channel the Australian experience and bring in some chutzpah
A highlight of last weekend was the resurgence of the hashtag #DogsAtPollingStations, as people across the Republic of Ireland posted pictures on Twitter of their dogs accompanying them as they voted in the presidential election. It’s a sight that never gets old, and – while there’s no evidence to suggest a relationship between voter turnout and the presence of pups at polling stations – it did make me consider what else we could do to jazz up the democratic experience. In theory, voting in the UK is an exciting opportunity to shape the society around you, and make your voice heard. In reality it’s a midweek pain in the arse, figuring out how you’re going to find a place to park, in peak-hour traffic, near a local primary school filled with creepy finger paintings from children you don’t own.
I’ve voted a few times since I moved to the UK from Australia; the policy stakes were high, the arguments were passionate, the referendum was, as we all know, a bit spicy. Like most foreigners, I originally thought Brexit was a Eurovision sequel that was having a surprisingly powerful effect on the pound. Turns out it goes on for longer than Eurovision. I didn’t think that was possible.
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