The Waiting Game

We're finally there. It's arguably the most eery and introspective part of the entire election campaign, for both voters and politicians alike. The streets ring with the sounds of questionably admirable, possibly false promises, emanating from loudhailers atop the parties' respective campaign vehicles. Student members of political organisations make last-ditch efforts to gain votes for their party of choice, blanketing the university quad with leaflets. If you agree with a particular party, then its leaflets contain "promises." If you don't agree, then the leaflets contain "propaganda." Your friend tells the Labour pamphleteer that he's a National voter; the Labour guy couldn't care less because this has all now degenerated down to a superficial sports game by this point. What really matters is the crunch that is to occur tomorrow.

The rain provides a dismal backdrop to the anxious feelings undoubtedly shared by most politically-minded people today. The cars hiss along the slick wet roads. There is a strange sense that everything is far more subdued than usual. People are less boisterous; those of them that are politicos are deep in thought. The equilibrium of the world feels as if it's on a temporary hiatus. Seeking reassurance, we delve into the latest polls, only to find a shambolic tangle of conflicting results. We realise that it's near impossible to predict what Election Day is going to yield. We feel helpless. We are helpless.

Confusingly, at the same time, tomorrow is undoubtedly the most anticipated day of the year for many of us, myself included. Despite the nervous anticipation that is pulsing through our society at this moment in time, it feels strangely like Christmas to me (albeit a Christmas where Santa might drop a nuclear bomb down my house's non-existent chimney). The 2005 General Election really is the one event that I have been building up to all year. The flames of my interest were fanned further by Raymond Miller's thoroughly excellent course on New Zealand politics that Hannah, Alison, Grant and I studied last semester. I feel a huge amount of excitement building up. Even with so much at stake politically, there is one thing that is certain, particularly if you participate in voting: this election, combined with the inevitably epic coalition negotations that are going to take place, is going to make for one heck of a ride.