Waterford Election 2011

Dr. Baltar

Just once in my life I want to be able to go to a polling booth and be confident in who I throw the numbers beside.

It always seems to be a process of elimination based on who I detest the most with the winner being the person I detest the least.

ziedth

Who is going to be Kenneally's main threat do you think? IMO it's looking like a FG 1-2 and after that I'm not really sure. I'd be shocked if the Boards GE vote we have is accurate come result day.

AdMMM

Sully wrote: »

Local Elections - Local Issues.
National Elections - National issues.

Part of the reason we are in this mess is because we operated the country on local issues instead of national. Only part tho.

Terrible debate tbh. Nobody had a chance to speak, especially Gilmore.

I think this needs to be elaborated on a bit. For our local elections, they are very much local because you want to elect someone to represent your own estate/street/general area and areas outside your ward don't come into consideration at all. When we elect someone in the General Elections (not National as you called them), we are electing someone to represent the interests of our constituency in the Dail within the national framework. It is absolutely vital that the people we elect are competent because they will be representing our interests on important issues (many of which are local) such as securing a University for Waterford and will have to tackle our chronic unemployment.


If the next Government manage to plug our deficit and get us back on the road to recovery but Waterford remains at the back of the pack in terms of still not having a university and still having high rates of unemployment, I would not consider it to have been a success.

Deise Tom

jo06555 wrote: »

I really have no faith in FG, enda kenny is a spoofer , we will all be sitting here next year saying the same things if not worse under him , its such a mess i dont know who to be voting for , it wont be FG though thats for sure

When did you work this how and how long did it take it to happen. Thinks are bad with Fianna Fail, but wait will you see what they will be like under Fine Gael and in particular under Enda, and they will be worse if Eamon and Joan jump into bed with them, which i think they will because Enda may not have enough support with the Independents to form a government with enough of a majority for Comfort. Fine Gael and Labour could give a majority in the region of 30, but how long will they stay together without a major spat. Fine Gael last year should have known that there was not much left in the governement we had at the time and ensured that they did get rid of Mayo Man when they had the chance.

nkay1985

dark crystal wrote: »

I've just resigned myself to the fact that I'll have to vote for national policies this time round. It's too important to me that FG don't have the entire monopoly in government and the only way I can do my bit there is to vote Labour, regardless of my personal feelings about the local candidates.

I have voted Halligan and Cullinane in the past, but don't think either SF or Independents will have any significant power in the Dail, therefore, I will vote Labour and as Sully said, vote for the best local politicians when the next local elections come around.

In that case, if I was you, I'd go 1 and 2 in favour of Labour in whatever order you'd prefer them, then 3 and 4 for Cullinanae and Halligan in whatever order you'd prefer them.

If SF do get the 10 or so seats that's predicted and Cullinane was elected, he'd be a significant part of the opposition which should hold the next government to account. This role will be important too so it's not only about who you want in power.


Regarding the count, it starts at 9:00 am in the Butler Centre in John's Park. There's only the one count centre as far as I'm aware. Can't really remember when the first count finished up but there will be tallies going on throughout the count. If I'm there, I'll happily throw up live updates here and on Twitter and Facebook. I'm sure Sully and Admmm will be the same.

Psychedelic

Looks like there's another candidate running....

Sully

Deise Tom wrote: »

When did you work this how and how long did it take it to happen. Thinks are bad with Fianna Fail, but wait will you see what they will be like under Fine Gael and in particular under Enda, and they will be worse if Eamon and Joan jump into bed with them, which i think they will because Enda may not have enough support with the Independents to form a government with enough of a majority for Comfort. Fine Gael and Labour could give a majority in the region of 30, but how long will they stay together without a major spat. Fine Gael last year should have known that there was not much left in the governement we had at the time and ensured that they did get rid of Mayo Man when they had the chance.

When did you work out that Kenny is a terrible leader for the country? Last time I checked, he was never the leader so you have no facts only opinions. For all you know, he good be a fantastic leader. Just because he isn't a Bertie Ahern - look where that got us. Look where Brian Cowen got us. Look where Micheal Martin got us and wants to get us. The country needs change, and not just a new face for Fianna Fail.

Give Kenny a chance to at least let you and others prove yourselves right or wrong. The only way people will get a Fine Gael government without Labour is if you vote for Fine Gael and Labour - even on transfers Labours could pull back seats and have to sit in with FG.

Mayo man has done a fantastic job so far, and is ready and able to lead the country.

Deise Tom

Sully wrote: »

When did you work out that Kenny is a terrible leader for the country? Last time I checked, he was never the leader so you have no facts only opinions. For all you know, he good be a fantastic leader. Just because he isn't a Bertie Ahern - look where that got us. Look where Brian Cowen got us. Look where Micheal Martin got us and wants to get us. The country needs change, and not just a new face for Fianna Fail.

Give Kenny a chance to at least let you and others prove yourselves right or wrong. The only way people will get a Fine Gael government without Labour is if you vote for Fine Gael and Labour - even on transfers Labours could pull back seats and have to sit in with FG.

Mayo man has done a fantastic job so far, and is ready and able to lead the country.

Did i say Country?

I am basing my opinion of what i have seen of him as Fine Gael leader. He is so lucky that Fianna Fail are so unpopular right now. If they were no so unpopular, he would be nowhere near as high as he is in the polls.

jmcc

Deise Tom wrote: »

He is so lucky that Fianna Fail are so unpopular right now. If they were no so unpopular, he would be nowhere near as high as he is in the polls.

Yeah! People tend to get upset when a bunch of incompetent morons wreck the country and its economy for the benefit of their bankster and developer cronies. In any real democracy, the outgoing government and their cronies would be hanging from the lampposts. FF is lucky that the Irish people are only expressing their anger via the ballot box.

Regards...jmcc

MitchKoobski

Anyone else spotting the Enda ads at the bottom of the page? Dodgy editing there. Looks like there some sort of holy aura around him...or maybe it was intentional...

Sully

Deise Tom wrote: »

Did i say Country?

I am basing my opinion of what i have seen of him as Fine Gael leader. He is so lucky that Fianna Fail are so unpopular right now. If they were no so unpopular, he would be nowhere near as high as he is in the polls.

He has been a fine Fine Gael leader, and proved many of his doubters and the media wrong. Even before Fianna Fail downfal, Fine Gael under Enda Kenny became largest party in the locals and if I am not mistaken, the largest Irish party in Europe. We did very well the last time out, and we have came from zero the 40%. All under the one man, who you and others say, is a poor leader.

Nobody knows until the man is elected as leader, to be fair. I say the same about all the other candidates also.

decies

Deise Tom wrote: »

When did you work this how and how long did it take it to happen. Thinks are bad with Fianna Fail, but wait will you see what they will be like under Fine Gael and in particular under Enda, and they will be worse if Eamon and Joan jump into bed with them, which i think they will because Enda may not have enough support with the Independents to form a government with enough of a majority for Comfort. Fine Gael and Labour could give a majority in the region of 30, but how long will they stay together without a major spat. Fine Gael last year should have known that there was not much left in the governement we had at the time and ensured that they did get rid of Mayo Man when they had the chance.

Bad you say my god thats like saying sure the Holocaust was just a little local difficulty !!!!Who knows what the next Government good or bad will bring,one thing for sure if there are actually worse than the last shower ,well god help us all!!!Still its your democratic right to vote for a party who brought world shame to the country,and condemned us to asterity measures for years to come!!!

PTH2009

This is who i think will be elected on friday

1 Paudie Coffey
2 John Deasy
3 David Cullanane
4 Seamus Ryan

nkay1985

Psychedelic wrote: »

Few questions about the count:

About what time will first count be done by, and what time will the final count be?

Where will the count take place? Is there just the one count centre for the whole Waterford constituency?

What will the quota be? (ball park figure)

I assume there will be a fair few people from here who will be at the count, any chance ye can post live updates here?

Forgot to answer about the quota. In Waterford the quota is (total valid poll/five). The total valid poll last time out was 49,528, a turnout of 67.45%, up from 63.16% in 2002. Turnout should be high again with people wanting to make their voice heard but I don't see it being that much higher than 2007 so the quota should be in and around the 10,000 mark.

Margarmur

decies wrote: »

Bad you say my god thats like saying sure the Holocaust was just a little local difficulty !!!!Who knows what the next Government good or bad will bring,one thing for sure if there are actually worse than the last shower ,well god help us all!!!Still its your democratic right to vote for a party who brought world shame to the country,and condemned us to asterity measures for years to come!!!

I beginining to think from these boards that we weren't living in a democracy. Because you can only express a view if its anti ff. Your given a warning if its anything positive about the current government.

As for an apology what would i be apologising about. Im entitled to my views and beliefs.

dlofnep

PTH2009 wrote: »

This is who i think will be elected on friday

1 Paudie Coffey
2 John Deasy
3 David Cullanane
4 Seamus Ryan

I don't know about Ryan - I think the other 3 are spot on. 4th seat is a throw up. I wouldn't be surprised if an independant like Halligan got it. However, I think Halligan & Cullinane will be fighting for many of the same votes.

Deise Tom

nkay1985 wrote: »

Forgot to answer about the quota. In Waterford the quota is (total valid poll/five). The total valid poll last time out was 49,528, a turnout of 67.45%, up from 63.16% in 2002. Turnout should be high again with people wanting to make their voice heard but I don't see it being that much higher than 2007 so the quota should be in and around the 10,000 mark.

10,000 would be a fair estimate. In 2007 it was around 9,300.

nkay1985

Deise Tom wrote: »

10,000 would be a fair estimate. In 2007 it was around 9,300.

Nah that was 2002. It was 9,313 then.

In 2007 it was 9,906 so more of the same really, with a small increase maybe.

Make A Stand

Originally Posted by PTH2009
This is who i think will be elected on friday

1 Paudie Coffey
2 John Deasy
3 David Cullanane
4 Seamus Ryan

This could be close to the result on Saturday and I hope it is. Any result with Kenneally losing out would be a really good result from my point of view. There are 5 votes in my house and I know 4 of them are going no. 1 for David Culliane so I wouldn't be too dismissive of his chances. The young adults in my home won't vote for FG as they think they're just another version of FF.....:mad:

decies

This might help people http://electionsireland.org/counts.cfm?election=2007&cons=226

Margarmur

PTH2009 wrote: »

Give Number 1 to Halligan instead of cullinane:mad:;)

Sully , Surely this would be a true form of canvassing and electioneering??????? If a legal person was to look at what i posted and what this person has posted im sure board.ie would be in trouble.

decies

Margarmur wrote: »

Sully , Surely this would be a true form of canvassing and electioneering??????? If a legal person was to look at what i posted and what this person has posted im sure board.ie would be in trouble.

Ah for gods sake get a life,its political banter thats going on here mate.Perhaps youd like to sue me as well.Am sure you are a intelligent woman - man,just cross a bridge and get over it and let us get on with the talk.:rolleyes:

jo06555

Deise Tom wrote: »

Did i say Country?

I am basing my opinion of what i have seen of him as Fine Gael leader. He is so lucky that Fianna Fail are so unpopular right now. If they were no so unpopular, he would be nowhere near as high as he is in the polls.

Ye sure FG campaign manager was out today asking any upset FF voters to lend FG their vote :rolleyes: they sure want full control of this country and if it happens we are all screwed :mad:

old gregg

out of interest folks, is anyone else aware of there being a noticeable drop in the numbers of candidates/canvassers actually calling to our doors this time round?

Allowing for the Indie folks who'd not have a party machine behind them, I'm still very surprised that hardly any of the party candidates have been in our area (upper grange) at all.

Were I to give my votes to only those who have called either directly or via canvasser the only people to get a vote from me would be Halligan, Deasy, Tobin and Kenneally.

Party politics aside and perhaps from a sociological perspective, why do you think this is the case? Waterford has not grown so much since last vote that there's too much space to cover.

nkay1985

old gregg wrote: »

out of interest folks, is anyone else aware of there being a noticeable drop in the numbers of candidates/canvassers actually calling to our doors this time round?

Allowing for the Indie folks who'd not have a party machine behind them, I'm still very surprised that hardly any of the party candidates have been in our area (upper grange) at all.

Were I to give my votes to only those who have called either directly or via canvasser the only people to get a vote from me would be Halligan, Deasy, Tobin and Kenneally.

Party politics aside and perhaps from a sociological perspective, why do you think this is the case? Waterford has not grown so much since last vote that there's too much space to cover.

I think it's more than likely due to the fact that it's been such a short campaign. They'd normally have another two or three weeks. The candidates would have had to prioritise the places where they felt they could get the most votes for their time canvassing. Also some areas are easier to canvass: they have lots of houses close together or long streets etc as opposed to lots of little streets that bend and wind all over the place. Maybe this would have an impact.

That'd be my thinking on it anyway.

Gael23

decies wrote: »

This might help people http://electionsireland.org/counts.cfm?election=2007&cons=226

Looking at this, Kenneally got alot of transfers , this time FF are transfer toxic so my thinking is without these he may struggle

old gregg

nkay1985 wrote: »

That'd be my thinking on it anyway.

That makes sense. The short campaign would account for it for sure, I'd not thought of that.

nkay1985

ryanf1 wrote: »

Looking at this, Kenneally got alot of transfers , this time FF are transfer toxic so my thinking is without these he may struggle

Yeah but there were 23,025 votes for FF candidates in total so it all depends on how many of these he can rely on. He'll have to be a fair way ahead to avoid being drawn into a battle for the third and fourth seats.

I'd imagine that if he polls below 14% or 15%, that it'll be a very uncomfortable count for him watching his lead being gobbled up with every subsequent count. This is a real possibility.

Trotter

Another thing that will be interesting in the Waterford constituency is how the trends in the voting boxes will differ. Those from West Waterford I would think will have more of a tendency towards FF, Conway and Deasy, whereas the East Waterford boxes will favour Cullinane, Halligan and possibly Seamus Ryan.

I have a feeling the West Waterford boxes will be pivotal in deciding that 4th seat.

ziedth

I think SF has a strangely large following in Dungarvan IIRC.