Jim Fitzpatrick

Columnist

Jim Fitzpatrick,

Journalist and Broadcaster

A Clear Celebration of Democracy

Election posters aren’t always the most attractive form of street art. But they have their own inherent beauty.

They do say that politics is showbusiness for ugly people, but that would be unfair if referring to the many men and women whose faces have adorned our lampposts over the last number of weeks in Northern Ireland.

I’m perhaps in the minority on this, but I enjoy seeing them smile down on me as I go about my daily business, their optimistic grins suggesting a better future lies ahead.

In this campaign there has been a certain amount of poster warfare. Some have been defaced; some have been cut down; some have even been burned. Candidates have condemned this vandalism which has ranged in seriousness from annoying pranks to wilful intimidation.

In some cases the targets of the abuse have turned the tables with some clever social media messaging, displaying a sense of humour and political nous at the same time.

I know many people don’t appreciate the election mugshots quite as much as I do. They see them as a blight on the urban landscape which should not be tolerated. After all, there are plenty of other ways for candidates to reach potential voters. Though, I have to admit that the printed leaflets that land on my hall floor have a swift journey to the recycling bin.

I believe criticism of the posters is misplaced. Our little world would be a duller place without them. Because fundamentally, the posters signify the importance of elections and are a clear celebration of democracy.

It may be tatty, lacking in style and without any coherent aesthetic – but the festival of election posters is the most sustained public demonstration of our belief in the primacy of politics that we allow.

Democracy can be a brutal leveller – that’s how it’s meant to work. Politicians must put themselves before the people at regular intervals to win their votes. If they don’t, they’re out of a job. Imagine being that losing politician the day after the count remembering that you have two hundred election posters waiting to be cut down.

That’s a sad image. But not as sad as the posters that sometimes remain of losing candidates, their optimistic smiles now appearing so incongruous with the new reality of their journey to political oblivion.

Democracy matters. Sometimes people forget that. Unfortunately the war in Ukraine has reminded the world that democracy is something that matters so much, that people sometimes have to fight and die for it.

Lampposts festooned with election posters are our little reminder of democracy in action each time an election comes round and what a wonderful thing that is.

“Democracy can be a brutal leveller – that’s how it’s meant to work. Politicians must put themselves before the people at regular intervals to win their votes. If they don’t, they’re out of a job.”