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We have always tried to persuade people to exercise the franchise,
to vote for a candidate whose party and policy, and his personality
and ability, promises us proper representation in Parliament.
It is an imperative on the citizen to vote to try to ensure
that he and his country are well cared for in an administration
that needs to be influenced, and affected, by those we elect
to serve us. We are aware that there are those who have a
problem with the candidate of the party of their choice. We
try to convince them that the vote is not for a candidate
only but for a party and its policies. As Orangemen faced
with party choices we would be acting unfairly and unwisely
if we advised our brethren to vote for a specific party. We
ask them to vote, and to use their own judgement in how they
vote. There is no need to add anything to their knowledge
and experience of how we are placed and the problems and dangers
ahead of us. There could be opportunity too, to move on in
the way we want to travel and that must be a main consideration
in how we vote. We are advantaged in that we know the politicians
and they know us. There is an intimacy here, politicians and
people different to elsewhere in the United Kingdom. It has
to do with the smallness of Northern Ireland and the extensive
media coverage on the sayings and doings of our politicians
who may suffer from over exposure but not from the refusal
of the publicity they seek so often.
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