Why This Election Feels Like A Phantom Vote

As I strolled down Republic Street in Valletta, I couldn’t help but notice the stark absence of election posters. No vibrant hues of red, blue, or green adorned the historic buildings. No candidates’ faces smiled down from lampposts. Instead, a peculiar silence hung in the air, broken only by the distant hum of traffic and the occasional chirp of a sparrow. It was as if the election wasn’t happening at all. But it is. And that’s what makes this election feel so… unreal.

An Election in Stealth Mode

Malta’s upcoming election is unlike any other in recent memory. It’s an election in stealth mode, with political parties adopting a low-key approach to campaigning. The reason? COVID-19. The pandemic has forced political parties to rethink their strategies, leading to a subdued campaign season that feels almost surreal.

Gone are the massive rallies, the door-to-door canvassing, the lively debates. In their place, we have virtual press conferences, online debates, and social media blitzes. It’s an election happening behind screens, in the shadows, rather than out in the open, under the Mediterranean sun.

Voting in a Bubble

But it’s not just the campaigning that feels unreal. It’s the voting process itself. With the pandemic still lingering, voting this time around will be different. Instead of the usual hustle and bustle at polling stations, voters will find hand sanitiser stations, temperature checks, and social distancing markers. It’s voting in a bubble, a far cry from the usual communal spirit of election day.

the introduction of postal voting has added another layer of strangeness. Thousands of voters have already cast their ballots from the comfort of their homes, a stark contrast to the traditional act of voting in a polling booth. It’s an election happening in isolation, rather than in unison.

Politics in the Time of COVID

But perhaps the most surreal aspect of this election is the way political parties are campaigning on issues that feel detached from the reality of life under COVID-19. While the pandemic has upended our lives, with job losses, school closures, and lockdowns, political parties are still peddling their usual manifestos, as if nothing has changed.

It’s an election happening in a parallel universe, where the pandemic is an afterthought, rather than the defining issue of our time. It’s an election that feels disconnected from the ground reality, from the struggles and fears of ordinary Maltese people.

But despite the strangeness, the surrealism, this election is real. It’s happening. And it matters. Because the decisions we make now will shape our recovery from the pandemic. They will determine how we rebuild our economy, our society, our way of life.

So, as you cast your vote, whether it’s at the polling station or through the post, remember, this election might feel unreal, but its consequences are very, very real. Let’s make every vote count. Let’s make this election count.