IN newspaper land, we live in a bubble. Along with the rest of our colleagues in media land, we are consumed by all things election at present. We spend our days listening to and commenting on the words and actions of our politicians. We strip them back to their bare bones, form opinions and debate who will sit in the four seats available come polling day.
Wider society, or at least those members of wider society whose jobs are directly affected by the lead up to the election, might be slightly more oblivious, but you would have to hope that with just one week left until we are asked to head to the polls that interest is rising.
In one of our front page stories this week, former Independent representative Christy Curtin comments that this has been a bland lead-in and that, barring something dramatic, will be a bit of a damp squib.
From inside the bubble, it’s hard to know, but this election will not be bland. Last time out Fianna Fáil filled two seats with an Independent and a surprise from Sinn Féin completing the set. This time out, it’s hard to see a surprise of this level, but, if the US Election has taught us anything, it’s not to believe what the polls tell us and not to hang your hat on what commentators think.
The electorate can change its minds on a whim. It can be affected by the weather, last minute social media campaigns, and many other things besides.
There is nothing as fluid as an election count – at least until the first seat is filled. Once the first seat is filled it will quickly become apparent the direction that voters have taken.
On Friday, November 29, we will get the chance to decide on whether to change things up or stick with the status quo and the important part of that is that we get the choice.
Whether you are a party voter or you want to vote for an individual, it is important that you vote. The higher the turnout the more chance that there will be a real return and that the voice of the people will be heard.
On the first week in December, there will be no point talking down our newly elected TDs and giving out about what they may or may not do if you are not going to make the effort to get out and vote.
Yes, we in the media live in a bubble. We eat, sleep and breathe things such as elections, but it doesn’t mean we can’t see outside that bubble. The result of this election decides the trajectory our nation will take over the next five years. So, joking aside, get out and vote and make your opinion count.
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.