For those that haven't, once you're signed in you are faced with a pile of papers, one for each candidate team (in our case 7!); you are meant to collect one of each. Actually we had been sent these lists in the post a few days earlier along with some 1page manifestos, but we hadn't realised the lists were there to be used.
Then you go into a booth, jettison all the papers bar one into a bin, put your chosen one into an envelope, get checked in again (sign in!) and then your envelope gets accepted into the voting slip box and the scrutineer announces voté and dings a bell. All good humoured.
There were a load of people in the room, I imagine that many of them were scrutineers from each of the candidate's teams. I ostentatiously didn't pick up a paper from the NF pile, obviously. After it struck me that in dodgier times it would have been wiser to be seen to pick up a paper from each person (or get handed a complete pile or bring the one from the load you got at home or something), you're in trouble if you don't pick up the NF paper, and equally if you do.
result so far UMP33 Communiste22 FN14 rest30. It's not like Cambridge.
I couldn't find my carte from 2008 i think it was so just took my passport which caused confusion as I am on the list under my maiden name and my British Passport only has my married name, the lady on the desk knows me well but once again there was a lengthy discussion with anyone in earshot about how it is strange we ladies don't keep our maiden name on our passports...
Only 2 lists in our village - as we have friends on both lists we picked up both papers to keep the peace. To be honest I was glad to get it over with...
Last time we were able to rayer - scratch out people's names but this time as our commune is over 1000 now we had to choose a list and put appropriate paper in the little envelope. After having the name discussion a second time, the kids popped the envelopes in the voting box.
On exit I was asked by friends (on both lists) have I 'bien vote'? Of course I replied.
The current Maire's new team (list divers) 64% were voted in but 2 seats went to the top 2 candidates on the list of the opposing team (liste gauche).
It will be interesting to see how this works out and if they can work together rather than just argue. I almost want to go to the first meeting just to see what happens.
Try the place we use, restaurant bar. Die of hunger and thirst getting through the slobbering masses including the owner, waiter and chef! I joked to the other half about taking a sandwich and some water to drink outside before crossing the threshold a while back, but she being of the Latin persuasion could not get the gist of what I was saying. Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more; be slobbered, shaken, hugged and starved!
And what about trying to get a drink in the local boozer? It's been nearly chucking out time before I've escaped the kissy, touchy, feely mob & managed to get me a drink!
Second time you meet a person of female persuasion it is kissing time hereabouts, with the chappies the mitt straight away, when you are elevated to a proper friend (tu, toi time) then even the blokes do peck, peck here. Beards don't count, not halitosis, vampire teeth or elephant tusks from what I can make out. My dread is being in a tearing hurry, which most people never are here, then bumping into about 20 of them. My train is about to go, must dash - but no way, mwoi, mwoi, sava, sava and wave the bloomin' train bye-bye. That's why it took me half an hour to vote on Sunday. Thank goodness we have no second round here!
Yer in the wrong place then mate. They come out of the womb here kissing, touching & feeling. Late developers are sent to kissy, touchy, feely boot camp for an intensive course. It's unavoidable. Man up & accept the inevitable. Even ultra halitosis sufferers get kissed so it's either stay in or go out & get got:-)
Matter of interest, I've been kissed by ladies with fuller beards than mine!
75% turnout here as people got twitchy at two lists for the first time in about 25 years. The present incumbent has been re-elected 1/3 to 2/3 which isn't surprising. Sadly not enough FN sympathisers & too many women (50-50) on our list for it to be deemed trustworthy by the electorate...
As much as anything else, I had 'Bonjour, sava...', handshakes and bisous all round then eventually gave somebody my carte électorale (which I noticed I had not signed), nobody wanted ID, just gave me the little green envelope and then hunted for a stylo when I asked. Then back to nattering whilst I did my bit in the secret of the curtained booth. Then there was the signing, pleasantries all round. Voting, 20 seconds, getting round the room with hands, kisses and small talk, almost half an hour!
Result, oh well. Nine of them got between 93 and 95% whilst two only got about 85%. Half a dozen spoiled votes; out of 378 people who could vote 182 turned out, so a bit under 50% here. Next round in six years.
Teehee Steve, my tutor was a councillor for being a don and elected by fellow dons back in the 1960s, plus a handful went to the Commons and Lords. Nope, not like Cantabrigensis. We have a single list here, same old bodies, indeed they were all manning (and womanning) the polling. Apart from spoiling the vote, not much room for manoeuvre.
When we produced our driving permits & carte electorales one of the scrutineers had great pleasure in SHOUTING out my wifes date of birth. After the rollicking she gave him I'm guessing they won't do it again next Sunday.:-) Sad day. My mate Jacques, who was last but one mayor & thought he'd chance his arm again, got trounced :-(
There must have been a dozen people in the room facing directly towards the tables with the lists. I assumed they were doing the job (like in the UK) of noting who had actually voted, with a view to knocking on the doors of their known supporters late on in the day (a job I've done a couple of times in UK, but of course parked just outside the voting station, come rain ...), and they must have been interested to note who was picking from their pile.
I realise now that we could have used the chosen list delivered through the letter box a few days before. Will we be getting them again for round two do you know?