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With Elections fast approaching. I thought I'd write an article on how I personally go about selecting who gets my vote. Despite being in the Irish Union Party I've not let party lines completely blind me. In fact once i was the running mate of an opposition party leader because I thought they'd be a better President at the time. So what do I decide my vote on? I'll give you the break down.

The Candidates experience:

Do I think experience is everything? Of course not but it does help if the candidate has done the key jobs in the past and know what it takes to be President. It's a lot more work than people think and many new presidents are often shocked by the transition from citizen to President. I feel much better putting my vote behind a tried and tested man or woman in the big job than someone who is unproven.

So how do i measure experience? Well I look at what positions that candidate was held in the past. Not just that though cause anyone can get a fancy title. It's what they have done in those roles that counts. So weighing up each candidates previous achievements and positions. A President needs most importantly I feel to have experience and success in Foreign Affairs for example. So I'll look at their track record and what contacts and relations they have in other countries.

The Candidates activity.

The office of President many former Presidents will say is like having a second full time job at times. It requires you to be available and around a lot. So I check are they on the forums everyday, are they on the IRC Channel a lot. Do I get a quick response to a Private Message. All these signs of activity I look out for.

Their Plans

I'll be honest here. I put little weight on a Manifesto in Ireland. Many candidates promise pretty much the same thing in most cases. With a few slight alterations. Many of which could be put through the Dail anyway. Though I do read the Manifestos of each candidate and make sure they aren't promising something that. 1) Has already been tried in the past and failed, 2) Is an unrealistic promise, 3) Does not conflict with my beliefs of how the country should be run. I pay particular attention to Foreign Affairs as that is the main job of the President in any country. Domestic issues are also important but they are more issues for Congress Elections as Congress hold the most power over these issues.

Final Word

There you go an insight into how Vyse picks his Presidential vote. You yourself may have entirely different preferences in how to choose yours. Maybe you prefer to vote the party line or on who has the nicest avatar. Hell maybe you don't vote at all. (Though you should you naughty citizen you know who you are!) I hope that this article at least convinces a few of you to vote with your heads. I couldn't care if you voted Nith, Starks, Pip or Alex so long as you actually research well enough.

See you at the ballot boxes on Friday. I wish the bestest of luck to everyone involved in their campaigns.

-Vyse: The Irish Nag.