Our precious democracy

I've been voting at general elections for over 40 years, yet I still feel the same sense of privilege as I did at my first. I love the novelty of the Polling Station, set up in the early morning in all sorts of surprising places. Here in Cockermouth, the wheelie bin directed me down the alleyway to the small Victoria Hall, dating from 1797, where a trio of cheerful poll clerks were waiting for me. My only disappointment, always the same, is that the actual voting process is over so quickly. I would love a fanfare as I drop that folded paper into the ballot box!