A Unique Voting Experience in Northern Normandy
With Kolkata voting for the Lok Sabha elections 2024 on June 1, I remembered my experience of “voting” in the French presidential election in 2012. This unforgettable event left a lasting impression on me.
An Unexpected Opportunity in France
During a five-week backpacking trip around Europe, I arrived in Paris in early May. The city was buzzing with election fever. As a young journalist, I was thrilled to witness this political fervor firsthand. French newspapers, including Le Monde and Le Figaro, were filled with images of the candidates, Nicolas Sarkozy and François Hollande. The atmosphere was electric, with televised debates and intense media coverage.
From Paris to Normandy
After spending a few days in Paris, I visited my friend Caroline in Cany Barville, Northern Normandy. Caroline invited me to her parents’ cozy home, where I met her sisters, Éloïse and Sophie. The family took me on tours of charming seaside villages along the English Channel, including Étretat, Dieppe, Veules-les-Roses, and Saint-Valery-en-Caux.
A Memorable Day of Voting
On May 6, the day of the run-off election, Caroline took me to the local voting center. To my surprise, I was allowed to enter the hall where voting was taking place. This was a stark contrast to the voting process in India, where such access is restricted.
A Surprising Invitation
Voters collected a piece of paper with the candidates’ names, stamped their preferred choice in a booth, and dropped the ballot paper into a box in front of the polling officer. After Caroline stamped her ballot, she handed me the folded light-blue ballot paper and asked me to put it in the box while she took a picture.
A Moment to Remember
I was shocked and hesitant, but the polling officer’s encouraging smile reassured me. I slid the ballot paper into the box, capturing a special moment that I will treasure forever. Although the polling officer’s face was blurred in the photograph, the memory remains vivid.
Conclusion
My experience of “voting” in the French presidential election was a unique and memorable adventure. It highlighted the cultural differences in the voting process and left me with a cherished memory of my time in Northern Normandy.
