The election wasn't a big election only a town election for mayor and city council members but nonetheless it was a big event for the community.
About a month or so before the elections, posters and flyers started going up around the town. They were placed on billboards, on the sides of buildings and passed out to people on the streets. Most of the time young people and elderly people were found on bikes honking their horns and handing out flyers to the passersby. Cars were also a means for advertisement as seen below. They would play popular music really loud to get attention as well.
There were people on bikes one day all riding through town in support for one candidate.
The election day came on Sunday May 6th. The elections in Italy are held on Sunday and Monday. They are held in the schools, which means that all the schools close until Wednesday or Thursday because the classrooms are occupied with official government work. The students don't mind one bit! I voted on Sunday evening. But many people went on their way to church in their Sunday best. When I went there were a good handful of people but I didn't have to wait in line. I went to the desk to check in/register. Ipolita was with me in case there was a problem. The people started talking to me and told me to leave my purse at the table because I couldn't bring it with me. I understood this in Italian and said ok. Then they asked me again. I said ok. The third time, I thought ok maybe something else is being said. So I called for Ipolita. When I started speaking to Ipolita to ask what they were saying, they all knew then that I spoke English. She translated to me to leave my purse on the table. I told her they had already told me multiple times before and I said ok! Mamma Mia! Anyways, I went behind the little booth and voted. I dropped my ballot into the cardboard box and picked up my purse and left. Afterwards, I asked Ipolita. Where is the "I voted" sticker :) Only in America do they hand out stickers after voting :)
We had to wait until Monday or Tuesday for the results. Since there were over 4 or 500 candidates for city council and 5 running for mayor there had to be another election with the top two mayor candidates. They have to win by a certain percentage. The 20 or so city council members would be chosen thereafter. Before the next election, the two candidates did all they could to make sure they would win. The cars with the flyers went around all day. Posters were up around the city. There was a stand with clowns supporting a candidate. Then there was even a concert of a famous Neapolitan singer put on by a candidate. It was a big deal! They wanted the votes! Overall, the election was more about a popularity contest than about where people stood on certain issues.
When I voted for the second time, one guy remembered me. The other worker was speaking to me and telling me what to do, which I understood, but the guy snapped at her and said that I spoke English. :) But we had no problems. I did get two stamps out of the whole ordeal in my little voter booklet. :)
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| The school where I voted at. |
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| In the school. |
Overall, it was an interesting experience. A little different than America but all in all pretty much the same. Politics is politics. It is about who has the most money for the campaign. And in the end it feels as if the whole thing was a circus act and in fact in Italy it literally was!
