Why you should vote

• Voting is an expression of an opinion, however you actually need to form that opinion by trying to be somewhat informed. This election campaign timeframe is short and sweet (bless you RWC) and it's worth putting aside wishy washy media driven information to get to the facts you need to make an educated decision about where your votes land.

• Voting is a privilege, not everyone everywhere gets to have their input counted. Imagine a country where you had no say?

• Voting upholds and supports the democratic system, if no-one voted the democratic system would fail and we would be replaced by another form of government, eeek?

• Voting sets an example

• Voting for the lesser of what you consider to be two evils (or ninnies, or fruitcakes, or ding dongs however you like to refer to your politicians) is still a valued vote?

• Voting is important because the elections.org.nz website says:

"When the Governor, Lord Glasgow, signed the Electoral Act into law on 19 September 1893, New Zealand became the first country in the world to grant women the right to vote in parliamentary elections.

As most other democracies - notably Britain and the United States - did not enfranchise women until after the First World War, women's suffrage quickly became a central element in New Zealand's image as a trail-blazing, progressive 'social laboratory' of the South Pacific."

There is still time to register, get out and vote!

Thanks to this wee article for the ideas http://www.essortment.com/should-vote-60856.html