My Thoughts Turn to Local Elections

Now that Paddys Day is (almost) over my thoughts are turning to this years Local Elections. Yes it's that time of the five year cycle when the elctorate can either reward you for working hard or turf you unceremoniously out on your posterior!

Well, having recent experience of both (reward in the locals and dismissal in the nationals - although I was looking for a seat rather than being turfed out of one!) I can tell you, that not winning a seat is a real kick in the teeth. It kind of sucks the air from your lungs. Losing your seat must be unbearably diffilcult.

But now is the time when all those people who feel they "can't do anything" get to have their say. What's the bet that most of them will vote as they always have??? I'm sorry to be sooooo cynical but when I see some of what gets elected it really makes me wonder.

In my ward (Waterford East - formerly Ward 2) this year we are getting an extra seat due to the population increase. Going from 5 seats to 6. This means that the world and his mother are seeking get the extra seat and already there is one almighty line up. Looks like there will be more candidates than ever.

This year, I'm toying with the idea of not putting up posters. Personally I hate them. Blocking up the whole place looking a mugshots. But I'm nervous that if I don't put them up, I might lose out and lets face it, in a local election you can't afford to lose any votes. I would have to replace the poster element probably with some sort of a mobile poster set-up on my car or somesuch. It does seem the right thing to do, but not at the risk of losing the seat. I'll mull it around in my head for a while and talk it out with the lads.

I always look forward to the canvass. 99% of people of the doorsteps are very polite and generous - whether they intend voting for you or not. Mind you, you'll always get the person who blames all politicians for everything regardless - or the zealots, whom no-one could please!

I have to hope that people will see that I have worked hard and that my profile will see me though. With, of course, as much of a push as we can give it on the doorsteps in the two months up to the big day itself.

Of course another big plus for the canvass is that you lose a stone out tramping the streets every evening. And you know what they say about every cloud......

Picture shows poster from the 2007 General Election. I'm going to campaign for the vote to be brought down to four year olds. They all told me they'd vote for me! Should I use posters for this years campaign or can I risk leaving them out?