Voting matters and every vote counts, writes Pam Frampton in the wake of a provincial election in Newfoundland and Labrador. UnsplashArticle contentSeeing the world from a different perspective is always worthwhile.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentFor many years, I spent every election night — provincial and federal — pacing before a TV in a largely empty newsroom, waiting for reporters and photographers to come rushing back in filled with news from campaign HQs; the unexpected upsets, the hard-fought victories, the jubilant surprise when an underdog prevailed.Article contentArticle contentArticle contentI’ve been fascinated by politics all my life, an interest that comes honestly, as election night in my childhood home was always a spectator sport.Article contentIn the newsroom, the rush was always in trying to capture the sights and sounds and human emotions of the night in a relatively short period of time. We tried to distill the essence of the experience for readers in a way that was fair and informative, but also reflective of the drama that often propels politics.Article contentThis year, I watched the night play out in a totally different way; not inside a newsroom waiting for the vote count, but from inside a polling station actually counting the votes. I signed up to work on election day as part of the machinery — a very small cog in a complicated wheel whose workings I had always been curious about.Article contentFrom brief chats with the people filing in to cast their ballot, it was clear voters were intent on having their say. There were older people who said they’ve never missed an election, young couples with small children in tow, and trepidatious 18-year-olds voting for the first time.Article contentArticle contentIt was obvious that the responsibility of choosing a candidate — of participating in democracy — was being taken seriously.Article contentArticle contentVoter turnoutArticle contentAs the outcome showed in Newfoundland and Labrador on Oct. 14, people were ready for change, electing a Progressive Conservative government to a slim majority and succinctly ending the Liberals’ 10-year reign.Article contentBut clearly not everyone was engaged enough to participate. Early results pegged voter turnout at approximately 53 per cent — a very poor showing here, where our per-capita claims to fame include having the country’s highest provincial debt (nearly $20 billion) and the highest health-care costs.Article contentThat apathy is disconcerting in a place small enough that everyone knows someone who has fallen through the holes in a ragged social safety net that doesn’t get darned enough.Article contentPeople say that if you don’t vote you don’t get to complain, but it’s my observation that it doesn’t really stop people from bellyaching.
PAM FRAMPTON: Watching democracy unfold is a beautiful thing
