Voting in Paris

Most elections, I tend to vote early. Get it out of the way. Get to the early voting booths as soon as I can so I can switch off from all of the poisonous rhetoric which appears whenever we have an election or referendum. The papers go bonkers. Every right-wing nut job, every left-wing loose cannon, Pauline Hanson, Barnaby Joyce and Bob Katter are wheeled out as talking heads. (Okay this time it appears to be Jacinta Price and Lydia Thorpe who are flying the No side's vitriol).

What gets me is that as a country, referendums should be there to improve the nation. 

But I digress. When it comes to voting, I normally know where my vote is going months out, why delay it. 

I also don't like voting on the day - I don't like the manhandling, the crowds, the stroppy kids, the queuing, the arguments I get in with some of the volunteers... it's not worth it. 

And this year, for this referendum, I will be overseas. 

Which means I have to put in for a postal vote.

Being abroad on polling day is actually a legitimate reason for not voting. If you're overseas, you won't get fined. 

However, if you've ever lived in a country where you can't have a say in the way the country is run, you will know how disempowering it is. As for those who live here in Australia and choose to put in a donkey vote, I say you automatically lose the right to complain about things. 

But I digress again. 

I put in my postal vote application today. I found out you can collect your pack from the local embassy if you wish.

So, I'm collecting my postal vote from 4 rue Jean Rey, 75015, Paris, France. The Australian Embassy. In the shadow of the Eiffel Tower. Quite close to the Bir Hakeim metro station in Line Number 6 towards Charles de Gaulle Etoile. It should be there from 3 October. I arrive in Paris late on the 4th. 

Yes, I'm looking up metro stations in preparation. OCD has its uses. 

I'm just a bit excited to vote in a place where there won't be a sausage sizzle or and angry right winger, or whining children, or a queue at a non-descript school hall.

I'm not using the "I'm overseas so I don't have to vote" card. I feel too strongly about this issue. (YES).

I know it's a bit silly, but I'm rather looking forward to putting my mark on the ballot paper this time. It's all about the location.

Today's song: