I cast my first ballot ! (attention whoring)

[Antonio the Sixth]

Yeah, I did.

It was a vote for the four Italian referendums that will be hold on June 12 for residents. In Italy, referendums are hold to repeal existing laws. This year, there is a referendum to repeal Berlusconi's judicial fix, one against the reintroduction of nuclear energy, and the last two regarding privatization of water companies. I voted yes (to the repeal) for all four.

Italians abroad cast their votes by mail, so I received my ballots, filled them and posted them. FYI, here's what a ballot looks like :



(of course you can imagine nobody ever reads that )

What sucks with Italian referendums is that they are valid only if the turnout is above 50%... and that hasn't happened since the 1980s at least. That's a silly rule which makes it more beneficial for opponents not to cast a vote and undermines most initiatives. But I'm hopeful that this time it could be different and we will see a strong mobilization.


Anwyays... That's a great moment for me, and now I've really the feeling to be a true actor of politics and not only a spectator. I know a vote matters nothing in massive democracies like ours, but this "nothing" is very important to me.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Damn people with double citizenships

[Yelnoc]

I wouldn't call "nothing." It's just a very, very small something

Seriously though, that's cool.  From your description, I hope they all pass.

[Franzl]

Damn people with double citizenships

I love my dual citizenship. Voting in two countries is great.

First votes are even better, Antonio. Congratulations. No comment to how you voted

[Meeker]

Yeah, I did.

It was a vote for the four Italian referendums that will be hold on June 12 for residents. In Italy, referendums are hold to repeal existing laws. This year, there is a referendum to repeal Berlusconi's judicial fix, one against the reintroduction of nuclear energy, and the last two regarding privatization of water companies. I voted yes (to the repeal) for all four.

Italians abroad cast their votes by mail, so I received my ballots, filled them and posted them. FYI, here's what a ballot looks like :



(of course you can imagine nobody ever reads that )

What sucks with Italian referendums is that they are valid only if the turnout is above 50%... and that hasn't happened since the 1980s at least. That's a silly rule which makes it more beneficial for opponents not to cast a vote and undermines most initiatives. But I'm hopeful that this time it could be different and we will see a strong mobilization.


Anwyays... That's a great moment for me, and now I've really the feeling to be a true actor of politics and not only a spectator. I know a vote matters nothing in massive democracies like ours, but this "nothing" is very important to me.

That does indeed seem like an extraordinarily dumb law.

[Ban my account ffs!]

Nice.  Fulfilling your civic duties always makes you feel good.  Though, it being an Italian ballot... your vote will probably be changed, disappeared, and refound several times before it officially gets counted.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Thank you guys ! Now next step will likely be the French PS primaries, this September. Of course you can imagine I was a lot more enthusiastic about them 15 days ago...

Damn people with double citizenships

I love my dual citizenship. Voting in two countries is great.

Indeed, there's twice as much fun. Especially since France and Italy have quite frequent elections...

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Hehe, I knew you'd say that. We can still agree for the 1st ballot, though.

Nice.  Fulfilling your civic duties always makes you feel good.  Though, it being an Italian ballot... your vote will probably be changed, disappeared, and refound several times before it officially gets counted.

Yes, everything can happen there. But remember, Italians abroad are those who gave Prodi his majority in 2006.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Congrats, Antonio!!

[big bad fab]

I'm as jealous as Kal .

Though Italy wouldn't be that fun for me, as I'd be forced to vote with the left quite frequently .

France and the US would be the better combination of course, though France and the UK, France and the Netherlands, France and Poland, France and Czech Republic would be funny too.

[Franzl]

Indeed, there's twice as much fun. Especially since France and Italy have quite frequent elections...

Yes. Same for U.S. and Germany. Considering that federal/state/local elections all happen at different times both in the U.S. and Germany (not to mention the primaries in the U.S.) leads to very frequent voting.

I've voted 11 times since turning 18. And I'm only turning 21 this summer....

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

I'm as jealous as Kal .

This is an outrage. Privileged people like Antonio have two votes, while we have just one

[Hash]

Dual nationality is fun! It would be more fun if it was a cool country like Spain instead of Canada which is filled with waste of sperm politicians though.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Dual nationality is fun! It would be more fun if it was a cool country like Spain instead of Canada which is filled with waste of sperm politicians though.

Now, you need to think and answer yourself if you're more royal to H.R.H. Old German Housewife or His Majesty Co-Prince of Andorra.

[Franzl]

Dual nationality is fun! It would be more fun if it was a cool country like Spain instead of Canada which is filled with waste of sperm politicians though.

I think Germany is the country with "waste of sperm" politicians right now....especially the opposition, but also increasingly the government

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Dual nationality is fun! It would be more fun if it was a cool country like Spain instead of Canada which is filled with waste of sperm politicians though.

I think Germany is the country with "waste of sperm" politicians right now....especially the opposition, but also increasingly the government

Sorry, Germans, but you can't compete with your eastern neighbours.

[Keystone Phil]

Any Italian that ends up living in France shouldn't be allowed to hold their Italian citizenship. 

Anyway, I'm guessing turnout didn't hit 50%. I have quite a few leftist Italian friends that went on and on about the "Sì" campaigns but never posted the results. Unless they just got too distracted by the huge wins in the municipal elections.

[Keystone Phil]

Any Italian that ends up living in France shouldn't be allowed to hold their Italian citizenship. 

Anyway, I'm guessing turnout didn't hit 50%. I have quite a few leftist Italian friends that went on and on about the "Sì" campaigns but never posted the results. Unless they just got too distracted by the huge wins in the municipal elections.

...or maybe it's because the referenda votes aren't until June. There are way too many elections within a month in Italy. 

[Antonio the Sixth]

Any Italian that ends up living in France shouldn't be allowed to hold their Italian citizenship. 

Anyway, I'm guessing turnout didn't hit 50%. I have quite a few leftist Italian friends that went on and on about the "Sì" campaigns but never posted the results. Unless they just got too distracted by the huge wins in the municipal elections.

...or maybe it's because the referenda votes aren't until June. There are way too many elections within a month in Italy. 

LOL

Yeah, referendums on 12-13 june. And indeed, we are starting to talk about them now, especially because yesterday's wave could give it the momentum necessary to hit the 50% threshold. I'm realist, I know it's extremely hard to pass it, especially because the opponents will abstain instead of voting no. But today I've enough reasons to be optimist.