To those who live in the poplar-lined environs of The Hill, an election is all about democracy having its day. All fine and good. The trouble is it doesn’t just have a moment. Or a day. An election campaign can run for an entire month. And if the pundits have it right, this election campaign might run for up to six weeks.

This is the present thinking. The last two elections were announced on a Sunday when the PM fronted up in Sunday best to the Governor General’s mansion.

But this weekend GG Quentin Bryce is overseas. The expectation is that Julia Gillard will move in the next few days, especially as Bryce has delayed her overseas trip, now leaving midday Saturday.

Yesterday Gillard fanned speculation with this: “In the days to come I will be putting forward more detailed arguments about some of the biggest challenges facing our nation … I will ask for the Australian people’s trust to move Australia forward.”

Polling day must be held a minimum of 33 days and a maximum of 68 days after parliament is dissolved and the money is on a five to six week campaign with election day expected to be held on August 21 or August 28.

Now, the economy is already sluggish. Ask retailers how they are travelling and you would be hard pressed not to hear a few expletives. And we know from experience that an election slows down business activity.

Politicians to suit their own agendas badmouth the economy which can have a negative effect on spending and confidence. Large companies tend to delay decision making until the election is over. And this can have a flow on affect to small and medium businesses waiting on projects to get the green light and contracts to be signed.

That whole process could effectively affect business activity for the rest of this month and certainly through August. The danger then is that projects are then delayed until early next year, although most people I spoke to this morning reckon business can expect a corresponding bounce about September.

I am sure it is not just the business community that desperately wants the election called now and wants it held quickly. Four weeks is enough for the average Australian to make a decision isn’t it?