Students Disenfranchised

ella minnow pea

Thanks for the Morning Ireland link.

I'm off to look for a fax machine...

Dontico

I have an exam. But I can make it on time. But there are others who cant. If the gov doesnt allow one person to vote, democraty fails.

And to reply to above person. The majority of students dont vote for radical groups. The party most popular for 18-24 year olds is Fine Gael.

cast_iron

Dontico wrote:

But there are others who cant. If the gov doesnt allow one person to vote, democraty fails.

And were they denied an oppurtunity to register for a postal vote?

Zaph

I do have a certain amount of sympathy for students who won't be able to vote, but what I can't understand is why they're only moaning about it now. It's not as if it was a great state secret so that nobody would know there would be an election before June, so why wait until the election is called to complain about there being no time to register for a postal vote? Most have had as long as they've been in college to sort it out, and even if it wasn't uppermost in their minds before there's been plenty of media coverage since the start of the year. So to blame it on the government being sneaky is deflecting the issue, IMO, if the students complaining were really that interested in their democratic right they would have sorted things out long before now.

Having said all that, I do think it's an absolute disgrace that anyone studying abroad can't use a postal vote.

zaph

zaph wrote:

So to blame it on the government being sneaky is deflecting the issue, IMO, if the students complaining were really that interested in their democratic right they would have sorted things out long before now.

Well, firstly I only found out last week that the postal vote process can include students. Secondly, I only got my timetable a week or two ago, so I wasn't sure until then whether I'd be free to vote. Also for students in UCD their timetable was being re-released (for the third or fourth time for some of my friends) which meant that they didn't know whether they'd be free to vote or not...

For someone living away from home cramming in final year, sorting out a postal vote mightn't be on the top of their list of priorities.

Zaph

Myth wrote:

Well, firstly I only found out last week that the postal vote process can include students.

Well in that case I'd be asking the student union why they didn't publicise this fact several months ago.

Myth wrote:

Secondly, I only got my timetable a week or two ago, so I wasn't sure until then whether I'd be free to vote. Also for students in UCD their timetable was being re-released (for the third or fourth time for some of my friends) which meant that they didn't know whether they'd be free to vote or not...

Fair enough, but why not have the contingency in place in case there was a clash of dates?

Myth wrote:

For someone living away from home cramming in final year, sorting out a postal vote mightn't be on the top of their list of priorities.

Not every student is cramming for their finals That said, I do appreciate the difficulties, I'm just pointing out that there are students, both here and in the papers, complaining about not being able to vote when they could for relatively little time and effort anytime since the start of the year, or earlier.

zaph

zaph wrote:

Well in that case I'd be asking the student union why they didn't publicise this fact several months ago.

Indeed. I only saw the posters placed up today in my college - but the effectiveness of a Students' Union (and / or USI) is a whole other thing to talk about!

Fair enough, but why not have the contingency in place in case there was a clash of dates?

I did - I read up on it last week It should have been publicised in advance (giving people a large amount of time, just in case) not only by relevant Students' Unions, but also by the Government. It may have been, for all I know, and if that was the case I must have missed it.

Plus I can hardly speak for UCD.

Not every student is cramming for their finals That said, I do appreciate the difficulties, I'm just pointing out that there are students, both here and in the papers, complaining about not being able to vote when they could for relatively little time and effort anytime since the start of the year, or earlier.

I appreciate the point, and agree with it in part. Perhaps my point was a bit selfish - I AM studying for finals, and was concerned about the timing

Students (not students' unions) can feel annoyed, since the deadline was not previously advertised as has been mentioned. Yes, it should have been highlighted by their SUs previously. But to just blame them would be a bit much, imo.

Beebox

DIT have their exams too.

Dontico

cast_iron wrote:

And were they denied an oppurtunity to register for a postal vote?

Dont being so bloody narrow minded and listen to what people are complaining about.

If I was studing in Cork and I wanted to postal vote, I could do it cause I'm politically active and I know about these things. But most people dont know anything about postal votiung. Alot of people dont know that they can vote even though they arent near thier constituencey.

Why didnt the gov inform people they can still vote?
Answer me that smart arse.

ninty9er

Dontico wrote:

Dont being so bloody narrow minded and listen to what people are complaining about.

If I was studing in Cork and I wanted to postal vote, I could do it cause I'm politically active and I know about these things. But most people dont know anything about postal votiung. Alot of people dont know that they can vote even though they arent near thier constituencey.

Why didnt the gov inform people they can still vote?
Answer me that smart arse.

Well smart arse. Ógra Fianna Fáil, Young Fine Gael and the Young Greens have gone about the process of handing the forms out in UL with the instructions.

ÓFF last week and YFG and Greens and ÓFF on Monday.

So if you want to see someone that's bloody narrow minded I suggest you look no further than the nearest mirror!!

(what I'd like to call you only for board rules:mad: :mad: :mad: )

Dontico

ninty9er wrote:

Well smart arse. Ógra Fianna Fáil, Young Fine Gael and the Young Greens have gone about the process of handing the forms out in UL with the instructions.

ÓFF last week and YFG and Greens and ÓFF on Monday.

So if you want to see someone that's bloody narrow minded I suggest you look no further than the nearest mirror!!

(what I'd like to call you only for board rules:mad: :mad: :mad: )

Are the younth-wings the government?
Is UL the government?
Does every student in Ireland go to UL?

Oirthir

If FF can pour €10m quid into that "vote Bertie's Team" ****e, then surely the Dept of Environment could have taken out a few full page ads in the major papers explaining the various procedures for voting..

ninty9er

ninty9er wrote:

Well smart arse.
(what I'd like to call you only for board rules:mad: :mad: :mad: )

You've already done enough to contravene them.
Take 2 weeks off.
pm me or one of the other mods when the time is up.

Dontico

Dontico wrote:

Dont being so bloody narrow minded and listen to what people are complaining about.

Answer me that smart arse.

Banned for 2 weeks for that

thelepo

The Greens came out today in criticism of the Thursday vote. They say that it was a deliberate ploy to silence the student vote, and I would tend to agree.

Where is the student protest I ask? I heard that USI were doing something about it. I haven't heard about any Student Unions etting out to fight this thing.

Generally students would tend to vote to the left. With the Greens likely to poll well during this election I would have thought that a lot of students would have given them their votes.

ballooba

thelepo wrote:

Where is the student protest I ask? I heard that USI were doing something about it. I haven't heard about any Student Unions etting out to fight this thing.

Student politics dominated by FF? in UCD anyway.

ApeXaviour

thelepo wrote:

Where is the student protest I ask? .

We're busy cramming...

Chakar

Dontico wrote:

The party most popular for 18-24 year olds is Fine Gael.

Interesting Don. So what did you use as a barometer for that statement?

Membership?

I think not.

UU

Here's an email I received from the SU in Trinity. I hope it helps! :

Hi all,



This e-mail below contains the procedures for registering students for the upcoming general election



1. Students not on the register.



If you're not registered to vote, it's not too late. Fill out form RFA2 and submit it as soon as possible. The closing date is specified in the Electoral Acts (1992, as amended at various times - in 1997 and 2001 with particular relevance to this). It is the day before 14 days before the vote takes place (without counting Sundays and public holidays), which in the current election means Saturday 5th May. However, as there is neither a postal service nor an obligation to open the offices on that day, the minimum requirement is for local authorities to accept what they receive by post/in person by the end of business on Friday 4th.



Some authorities are accepting things like something mailed at the weekend (i.e. received first post on Tuesday following) or faxed on Saturday with a hard copy to follow - but this is a matter of local interpretation and should be checked, either by the individual student or by the local authority in the area in which your institution is located (if you're encouraging people to register there).



Remember that a form for going on the supplement requires a Garda signature (ID verification). Occasionally, a friendly community Garda will sit in your college and sign forms for you. Worth a shot. County councils won't accept forms without this unless there are special circumstances (illness/disability).



Here's an RFA2 from Dublin City Council - http://www.dublincity.ie/Images/RFA2%20English%20-%20form_tcm35-49525.pdf - in practice you can use anyone's form, just make sure to send it to the right local authority! Most Councils have a PDF to download anyway.



2. Students on the register who wish to move.



There is a provision to allow those already registered in county X to move their registration to county Y (subject to the person being 'ordinarily resident' in county Y. What this means is a matter of dispute.). You send this form to the local authority IN WHICH YOU ARE REGISTERED - so county X in our example above. You are authorising them to delete you from their list and to be added to the other authority's list. The same dates etc apply.



Here's an RFA3 from Dublin City Council

http://www.dublincity.ie/Images/Change%20of%20Address%20RFA3%20English_tcm35-22813.pdf



3. Postal voting.



The postal vote list and the supplementary postal vote list is closed as of Tuesday May 1st. The rule here is 2 days after the election is called.



Those who have the postal vote should follow instructions that they receive - but they must do it via a Garda station, so the postal vote cannot be used from outside Ireland (Republic, in this case).



4. Other considerations.



Anyone who turns 18 before polling day (24th May) is (pursuant to recent amendments) absolutely entitled to register and to vote.



You must be an Irish or British citizen to vote in this election.



There are no provisions for voting abroad.



Polling will be open until 10.30pm on polling day.



You do NOT need a 'polling card' to vote. If you are on the register, just turn up with photo ID. I.e. if someone moves within the constituency and doesn't inform of the new address, turn up anyway with photo ID.



5. Checking the register



I have received some reports that checktheregister.ie is not 100% reliable. It's worth a student calling the local authority if they wish to check - they are obliged to help. If there is any doubt, send the form in anyway, if you are already registered it will just be disregarded. However, it's important to only use an RFA3 (change of address for the supplement) if you are already on the register and can confirm that.



Hope this answers all your questions.



David



David Quinn

Students' Union President
Trinity College Dublin
+ 353 1 6468435 / 085 703 1136
president@tcdsu.org

www.tcdsu.org

thelepo

UU, I like your tag. More of that I say. I think I shall get a t shirt made up encouragin people to vote. I'll drag them to the polls if I have to.

munster22

I think bertie made a blunder here, im from East Clare and just moved into Limerick, still registered in east clare and dont want to be moved to the limerick register, The only problem is im part of quite a large proportion of the population and that is those of us who are employed. We do not have time to vote and I doubt the thousands who trundsle home after the M50 on a tghursday evening will want to vote either, i certainly will not look forwqard to atrip across the Limerick city oin thursday eveing good luck bertie, ill still vote FF and they will probably still win but it will be close

JupiterKid

There is no doubt in my mind that Bertie and FF don't want the student vote -which is more likely to benefit the Greens, Shinners and Labour than any other parties - especially as it looks that this election will be very close.

If I was a student at the moment, I would be so angry at this cynical decision to hold the election on a Thursday that I would more fired up then ever to vote - to boot this incompetent shower out of power.

I would urge any students that can get to a polling station after their exams on the 24th do do so and make their voice heard. Collectively, it has the potential to make a significant difference.