While, personally, I shall vote in the forthcoming election, it will be more out of habit than belief in our democratic system. No matter whom I vote for I shall have had absolutely no say in, unless I am a member of a political party, who the candidates will be. All of the various parties will have decided who will represent them in the various ridings and will finance their runs for those seats. As a consequence the candidate will not owe his allegiance to the voters of the riding, but to the party that provided the cash and support for his or her run.
When the winning candidate goes to Victoria his loyalty must be to the party, as opposed to the voters in the riding. After all, should the winning candidate wish to run again in any forthcoming election, or be appointed to well paid committees, or continue in office long enough obtain the handsome pension which accrues MLAs, he will toe the party line and when the leader says, “jump” the MLA will jump; and may not believe it wise to ask when he/she can come down. I believe such a democracy offers a very effective reason not to vote.
I shall be astonished if this letter gets published since the illusion of our democracy must be maintained at all cost.
Colin Genders.