Training Log Archive: blairtrewin

After setting up our booth in the early morning (for the first time in five elections, the Liberals turned up before 7, but we still got there first), I took a break from political duties for my traditional election-day tour of as many booths as I could take in, touching base with various comrades on the way. The less said about the run the better - felt a bit like I'd eaten a dodgy sausage, and overall about as inspiring as a Warren Truss speech on the Meat and Livestock Corporation Levy (Amendment) Bill. Hills particularly ordinary.

Very quiet in the second half of the day at Rosanna Golf Links - it's a relatively small booth but seemed to tail off even more sharply than usual this year after lunch.

Australian readers (at least) will not need me to tell them the election results (more or less what I expected in terms of percentage, but worse in seats). Closer to home, there was a fairly substantial swing in Jagajaga - not totally surprising as the Liberals threw a lot at the campaign (certainly much more than in any previous campaign I've experienced). Looks like about a 7% swing in the seat, although less than that on our booth (4.0%) - which makes it five times in a row that we've outperformed the electorate average. As always, the atmosphere was very civil - I've never seen any serious aggro between campaigns on a polling booth (although, having said that, I've never worked in a genuine battleground seat).

C • Battle grounds 7