Let's vote already!

With less than 12 hours left to voting begins, Palestinian security and internatinal observers have deployed, campaigning has (finally!!!!) ended, and everyone is waiting in anticipation for the big day to finally be over with already!

To help the voting process go smoothly, the Central Elections Committee published page-long ad explaining to voters how to properly cast their ballots. The ABCs of Palestinian voing, if you will. Any aberrations, they warned, will disqualify it.

Only a check or an X may be used to indicate the preferred choice in the provided boxes. No other marks, such as say, an O, may be used. No double Xs, as in XX. No multiple choices. No unstamped ballot sheets. No comments of any sort on the ballot. And finally, no checks or X's outside of the designated "X box". Is everyone keeping track here?

To simplify matters, each list or individual nominee is designated with a symbol next to it, such as palm trees, crescents, hearts, spades, etc. Ok, sounds simple enough, if not dumbed down, but in the days of hanging and dimpled chads you never can be too careful. Especially given a poll released today showed 3.3% of the participants cast blank ballots.

Personally, I just want the elections to be over and done with. Our walls have been disfigured. Our privacy invaded (recently with SMS messages). And Gaza resembles a horribly decorated circus (I pity the custodial workers come Thursday morning), what with the banners, flags, and incessant campaign trolleys perusing down the city streets, blasting music and messages. Yallah khalsoona! (translation: get it over with already!)

For more check out my latest post in the Guardian, including my interview with a moronic EU election observer.