It's election time and as a person who avoids television and commercial radio I'm not being bombarded by advertising, if any is happening.
I've seen few signs in rural areas and just a few as I've driven through the province's cities asking to elect or re-elect Saskatchewan Party or NDP members. I receive the odd e-mail about the various parties' platforms and Facebook seems to be much quieter than it was during the federal election.
It seems as if the election isn't that important and it has me worried people don't care enough to vote. I've read about the "occupy Wall Street" movement growing and talked to a few people who attended quiet events in Saskatoon and Regina last weekend. I wonder if everyone who takes the time to be counted at a political rally marks a ballot to be counted.
There have been reports of crowds of young people raising their voices around the world, wanting change, demanding change and those same young people do not fit into the demographic most likely to go to the polls.
There have also been photographs of older people amid comments that the young are the only ones taking their concerns to the city streets and parks. I'm feeling in my own life I am no longer considered young and wonder what effect my voice will have.
Voice or vote, I wonder which really makes a greater difference when it comes to policy and changes. There have been times in my life when I thought even if I voted it wouldn't matter, but I still took the time to mark an X. The winners may get the jobs but the numbers of votes gained by those who don't earn seats is important, too and their voices, concerns and ideas are still valuable in a discussion to make the community stronger and more fair.
The voices may be even more important before the election and it is at those times when ears are necessary. Listening to the candidates' promises and ideas before casting a ballot and hoping the candidates are listening to the public can be more important than speaking.
It is in communication I fail most often and I know I can personally learn a lot from the practice of listening. In this small town I'm listening but not hearing much yet. The election is less than three weeks away and I'm ready to listen and watch. I'm watching for the signs on the lawns but also for the actions speaking louder than the voices.
