Elections would come and go, and life would go on. Parents would grumble about this and that, but in the end we seemed to have the same opportunities to succeed as before.

An election wouldn't install a brutal and oppressive regime, nor would it see a new government nationalise industries and try to transform society.

Glancing over the state election campaign in Bendigo, people could be forgiven for thinking it was a case of more of the same.

Epsom Primary School will receive $5.7 million from both parties.

Bendigo Stadium will receive $5 million from both parties.

Strathfieldsaye will receive a new roundabout from both parties.

Kalianna School will be significantly improved by both parties.

Capital announcements make for easy reading for voters. 

But throughout the campaign, the parties have been eager to highlight their ideological differences in Bendigo.

In the past few weeks, the Liberal Party have pushed a "power to the community" narrative. They say schools, such as Epsom, will have the power over how the school will be rebuilt, instead of the government telling them what to do.

Candidate for Bendigo East Greg Bickley said the party's wind farm laws are an example of this. Giving the power to veto a wind turbine within two kilometres of a home "means a community can decide if they want the project nearby".

Just this week, they say Labor's CFA plan "takes power away from local brigades".

For the Labor Party, skills and jobs have been central to their Bendigo election platform.

From the outset, Member for Bendigo East Jacinta Allan has been eager to highlight changes to the state's TAFE system over the last four years. Addressing the unemployment rate, particularly among youth, is the central pillar of their election push.

A new Tech School and TAFE agricultural centre promises from Labor have been a point of difference. Smaller announcements bringing schools and job providers together added to their push.

The Liberal Party attempted to counter this push at its election launch in Ballarat, announcing $75 million worth of initiatives to help small business hire unemployed people. They also say $100 million to the merger of Kangan Institute and Bendigo TAFE will boost job prospects in the city.

Labor will fire back that the merger is a "symptom" of TAFE cuts.

It doesn't take long to find gulfs emerging between the two parties.

For every capital announcement they share in Bendigo, there are at least some that are different.

For example, Labor wants to push full steam ahead with Bendigo Metro Rail. The Liberal Party at the moment plans to use the Regional Rail Link to improve services to Epsom and Eaglehawk.

But in the end, the narrative, or "gut feel", can swing as many voters as a big funding announcement.

Which is where the leaders come in.

In Bendigo, the city has been unfortunate (or fortunate, depending on your view) that neither leader has cared to visit in the last month of the campaign.

Denis Napthine presented a birthday cake to a horse, addressed a packed Bendigo Town Hall and posed with Discobolus at the art gallery in August.

Daniel Andrews shot hoops at Bendigo Stadium early in the campaign and patted goats at Sutton Grange later on.

Napthine has been painted as a "do-nothing" Premier by Labor.

Andrews is "Dan the CFMEU man" in the eyes of the Coalition.

Yet their lack of appearances in Bendigo later in the campaign spoke volumes for the importance of Bendigo East and Bendigo West.

The city largely missed out as the Coalition put $580 million on the table for Ballarat, with Labor making $90 million of promises.

On the other hand, Labor election promises specifically for Bendigo reached $55 million - the Liberals at $18 million.

Even Labor's "war on paramedics" campaign hardly landed in Bendigo.

Some have described the election as "once in a generation", as a first-term Victorian government could be axed for the first time in 59 years.

Whether it's Victoria's high unemployment, the policies of the federal government or the Geoff Shaw-effect, few can put their finger on the Coalition's problem in Victoria.

Maybe it could serve as another "wake-up call" to the major parties, although every election seems to be a wake-up call.

A record number of minor parties have registered this time around. The state's young people are increasingly turned off by the he-said-she-said nature of Australian politics.

Other countries see snap elections when political flashpoints occur. In Australia, it always seems to be the tenuous grip on power that wins.

"Putting people first", "Under the Liberals, you're on your own", "Building a better Victoria" and "Fixing Labor's mess" are some of slogans of the 2014 election.

These are the last things most will remember before dropping the ballot in the box. Then the election is deleted from memory.

Each candidate competing Bendigo East and Bendigo West are outstanding individuals who have the interest of their communities at front of mind. If only politics didn't have to get in the way.

Perhaps I'm still just a cynical teenager.