I am a swinger!

Yes, you read it correctly, I admit it, I am a swinger. A swinging voter. But I don't really want to be.

I clearly remember in Year 12 politics that we were learning about voting choices and the teacher told us that we would all most likely end up voting for whoever our parents vote for. Voting is apparently a bit like religion, you just tend to follow what the rest of the household did.

Easy!

Home I went to find out who we vote for. Started with Dad, he brushed me off, wouldn't tell me. I tried again and got some comment about that being his business, secret ballot and all that. Off I went to pester Mum. Again, another brush off, claiming that she voted informally and there was never anyone decent to vote her. I spent some weeks and all the next election campaign trying to secretly figure out who they voted for. But nothing.

Here I am now, 20 years later (can that be right, am I really that old) and I still don't have any idea who they vote for. But on top of that, I have had to make up my own mind every election.

I can find this decision exhausting, as though my vote could be the decider, the one that changes the direction of the country. The one vote that might bring doom and gloom to our lives.

So, here I am, I sat up and watched q and a for some guidance, I try and seek out policies that might be good for us all (my family and my community) I look at the person in my electorate and read all the crappy marketing material they send me, yes, I am that 0.01% who reads them. They just cause me more grief as I am too aware of the marketing spiel that goes into them.

Over the next few weeks I will have to keep an eye on all that is going on, to ensure my vote is directed to the best and finest candidates. But don't be thinking I will share the answer with you...secret ballot and all that.