Kerre Woodham: I do not take for granted the right to be able to peacefully vote

 This time next week, this time next Monday, we'll have all had our say and the Government who will lead the country for the next three years will have been elected, or will it?  

National and Labour have raised the possibility of another election if they fail to get the votes they need to form a government, if their partner parties fail to get sufficient votes to form a government. 

Yet more proof, as if anyone needed, that MMP is not the best form of proportional representation.  

Still, it's the one we've got and we're stuck with it for now - and I think far from it being a landslide to the right-wing parties, it looks like it's going to be a tight race.  

I don't know if our bet was a bottle of pinot noir or a case, Muz? Muz is a texter from Hawkes Bay who predicted National would absolutely romp home. But I think if it's as close as some polls are predicting, then the bets off with honours even. 

I'm very happy, to send you either the bottle or the case depending on what we decided if National is a shoe in, but I just don't think it's going to be as emphatic as the last election was.  

I was in the Albany Mall on Sunday and there were queues of people waiting to cast their vote. I don't think voter apathy is a problem this election.  

The leaders of the respective parties may not have the razzle dazzle stardust factor, but I think that's a jolly good thing. I don't even think it's an election of which direction we want the country to go.  

More an election of how we feel the past six years have been. There's no doubt some people will have had a great six years. Others have not, and they look at Labour's record and wonder how on Earth they can even muster 27% of the public vote as the polls have it.  

Some tribal voters have gone Green, they cannot bear to go to the other side. Some have gone pink/yellow, because they cannot bear to go to the other side, but they're finding their traditional party of choice has been found wanting.  

But at least people are voting and that's a win for democracy. I don't like talk of a second election.  

I mean, it's not the end of the world if we have a second election. But basically, it's telling voters we don't accept your vote.  

Not good enough voter, back to the ballot box you go and try again. And there are some parties, or at least one,  some parties and political leaders I would never, ever in a million years vote for, but other people are perfectly entitled to.  

That's democracy and if that's the party they want to represent them, then they will tick that box.  

Anyway, hopefully it's a clear-cut result whichever way it goes. This time next week, we'll know what the country has decided. We also know whether the All Blacks are in or out of the Rugby World Cup as well on a sidebar.  

But it's the election I'm looking forward to because I just do not take for granted the right to be able to peacefully vote in a new Government, keep in an existing Government. 

Vote out an existing Government. To be able to do that peacefully, to be able to have the right to cast your vote is not something we should ever take lightly. 

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