Voting in the General Election 2011

duckygalway

The writing's on the wall -a general election to take place in January 2011. Always thought it was just a matter of being on a postal voters list but apparently not! Only way to get the vote abroad is if you are an Irish diplomat or their spouse. Ridiculous considering they have embassies/consulates here where I would happily go to cast my vote!

Mackman

On one hand some people might say, "sure they're not even in the country, what does it matter what they say?", and on the other hand, some people might say "They're citizen's and it doesnt matter where they are, they have a right to vote for their country".

Im of the latter, i would love to have a say in who's running the country while im away. Its the same thing that they always do, they exclude people who wont vote favourably towards the ruling party.
e.g. having it on a thursday so college students have to take time off to travel home to vote.

Just more corruption in a very easily corruptable system

myhorse

And yet you can vote if

-You are unable to vote at your polling station because you are in prison as a result of an order of a court.


Is it no wonder the place is gone to hell if criminals can vote but law abiding citizens having to "take the boat" cant. :mad::mad::mad:

padrepio

It is a disgrace that we cant vote. Surely in this day and age, it would be possible to log in online and vote or even at the irish consulate.

snoepys

that would be an ecomanical matter

inOZ

I suppose its probably because there are more irish abroad than in the country, they wouldnt really want decision made by people who arent there.. saying that I would love to exercise my right to vote..

Zambia

Well there will be a good few more migrants out of Ireland

Cavehill Red

Fingers crossed the election will be Dec 2010.

smellslikeshoes

Can sort of see why they don't allow it because of the sheer number of Irish outside Ireland. On the other hand though, most of the Irish outside Ireland were forced to leave to get jobs because of poor governance so it's hardly their fault that they aren't living on the Island.

Xavi6

If they have the election before Jan 11 I'll be there to cast my first ever general election vote.

btard

They will never give you the vote. Part of the solution to their miss management and coruption has alway been emigration. They don't care about you or your views anymore. You did well to get out anyway. Look forward and forget this cesspool of coruption and incompetance. I'll be joining you very soon.

woolymammoth

btard wrote: »

forget this cesspool of coruption and incompetance

it's a very hard thing to forget, the green cesspool with so many memories that i'll be leaving my father behind in.

If diplomats can vote abroad, then any emigrant should be allowed to vote abroad. Australians are required to vote, by law, even when abroad in countries like ireland.

jank

Yeap. Total disgrace. Of course you have some idiots on boards that would argue the opposite. Hopefully the new government would change this. Maybe we should launch a campaign.

duckygalway

I'm wondering do staff at embassies and consulates get to vote also or is it just the ambassadors? It should be the same across the board. I believe Americans can vote at embassies. And what about people who have booked holidays?

Mellor

The only vote I'd make even if i was at home, would be a vote of no confidance in all of them

padrepio

jank wrote: »

Yeap. Total disgrace. Of course you have some idiots on boards that would argue the opposite. Hopefully the new government would change this. Maybe we should launch a campaign.

Yeah I'm with you. No point complaining if we aren't going to try and do something about it.

Victor

duckygalway wrote: »

I'm wondering do staff at embassies and consulates get to vote also or is it just the ambassadors?

It is anyone sent abroad on state service, so it include members of the Garda, Defences Forces when they are on duty abroad on behalf of the state.

It should be the same across the board. I believe Americans can vote at embassies.

They also get taxed, no matter where they live.

Father Damo

Who gives a sh1t, really. Anyone back home considering how bad their lot is should ask

a- Why did you vote FF

or

b- Why did my parents vote FF based on what your grandad thought of the civil war

or, better yet,

c- The banks gave dangerously big loans mainly to people born between 1955 and 1975. Blame the idiots who loaned an endless tap of free money, and the idiots who applied for them i.e. your older mates, parents and siblings, rather than Cowen and anyone else.

Seriously, anyone ever read the recession threads on After Hours? Grow some balls and come to a country with better weather, better wages and a low cost of living, or sit in Ireland on the dole and moan about still paying twice the cost of Australia for rent, electronics, a pint, or food. Ive got no sympathy for any of them.

Mackman

Father Damo wrote: »

Who gives a sh1t, really. Anyone back home considering how bad their lot is should ask

a- Why did you vote FF

or

b- Why did my parents vote FF based on what your grandad thought of the civil war

or, better yet,

c- The banks gave dangerously big loans mainly to people born between 1955 and 1975. Blame the idiots who loaned an endless tap of free money, and the idiots who applied for them i.e. your older mates, parents and siblings, rather than Cowen and anyone else.

Seriously, anyone ever read the recession threads on After Hours? Grow some balls and come to a country with better weather, better wages and a low cost of living, or sit in Ireland on the dole and moan about still paying twice the cost of Australia for rent, electronics, a pint, or food. Ive got no sympathy for any of them.

Wrong thread?

Father Damo

Mackman wrote: »

Wrong thread?

How? Never mind the opinion polls, it isnt impossible that FF will get back in next time. The 1950-1975 generation fcuked our country with their ridiclous capitulation to crazy house prices, not Brian Cowen. Possibly the most embarrasing sh1t on boards is when people say him and Ahern should be in jail....for what? Not whipping the public into line when they were too thick to see how much was too much to borrow? **** all the moaners (born post mid 70s) tbh, most of them voted and loaned themselves into their own rut. And anyway, half the Irish here are already at the illegal side and dont want anything to do with official ID taking and such, so most of us couldnt vote anyway.

Ponster

Father Damo wrote: »

How? Never mind the opinion polls, it isnt impossible that FF will get back in next time. The 1950-1975 generation fcuked our country with their ridiclous capitulation to crazy house prices, not Brian Cowen. Possibly the most embarrasing sh1t on boards is when people say him and Ahern should be in jail....for what? Not whipping the public into line when they were too thick to see how much was too much to borrow? **** all the moaners (born post mid 70s) tbh, most of them voted and loaned themselves into their own rut.

Wrong thread. Your posts are likely to result in the thread being locked or moved.


Here is an interesting site about Irish-abroad voting rights.

Mackman

Father Damo wrote: »

How?

.

Because what you're taking about has nothing to do with this thread.
Completely different topic

mandrake04

Mackman wrote: »

.

Because what you're taking about has nothing to do with this thread.
Completely different topic

Hardly Surprising, same as always.

jank

Victor wrote: »

It is anyone sent abroad on state service, so it include members of the Garda, Defences Forces when they are on duty abroad on behalf of the state.

They also get taxed, no matter where they live.

Not really true. If you are an american you do have to should I say you are meant to submit a tax return to the IRS but the average person will not have to pay tax to the US government, this is only there to help tax people who are earning $hit loads.
NZ, France, Germany and Australia are other countries that spring to mind that allow citizens outside the country vote.

jank

Father Damo wrote: »

Seriously, anyone ever read the recession threads on After Hours? Grow some balls and come to a country with better weather, better wages and a low cost of living, or sit in Ireland on the dole and moan about still paying twice the cost of Australia for rent, electronics, a pint, or food. Ive got no sympathy for any of them.

You think Ireland is the only country in the world where banks give out loans left right and centre. Have you ever been in Australia....:rolleyes::D or better yet the US?
How nice you to empathize too for 450,000 unemployed people. A lot of people did take out stupid loans how many more people didn't..... Taring everyone with the same brush is stupid talk.

jank

Father Damo wrote: »

How? Never mind the opinion polls, it isnt impossible that FF will get back in next time. The 1950-1975 generation fcuked our country with their ridiclous capitulation to crazy house prices, not Brian Cowen. Possibly the most embarrasing sh1t on boards is when people say him and Ahern should be in jail....for what? Not whipping the public into line when they were too thick to see how much was too much to borrow? **** all the moaners (born post mid 70s) tbh, most of them voted and loaned themselves into their own rut. And anyway, half the Irish here are already at the illegal side and dont want anything to do with official ID taking and such, so most of us couldnt vote anyway.

Well the parts in bold is wrong anyway, Damo as we all know doesn't do facts.

Bertie and Co should be thrown out of the country due to economic treason. the ****ing IMF are there!!!

jank

padrepio wrote: »

Yeah I'm with you. No point complaining if we aren't going to try and do something about it.

Absolutely! Hmmm but what to do?

I could write a letter to my local TD's but not sure where that would get me. Think contacting FG TD's would be the best thing in the long run as they have a policy document on changes to the electoral and political system. Maybe a bit of pressure from the likes of us might see that they introduce voting for ex-pats. Forget about 2011 but maybe 2015/2016 GE would see this introduced.

hussey

Father Damo wrote: »

Who gives a sh1t, really.

Obviously a lot of people care who runs our country

Father Damo wrote: »

How? Never mind the opinion polls, it isnt impossible that FF will get back in next time. The 1950-1975 generation fcuked our country with their ridiclous capitulation to crazy house prices, not Brian Cowen. Possibly the most embarrasing sh1t on boards is when people say him and Ahern should be in jail....for what? Not whipping the public into line when they were too thick to see how much was too much to borrow? **** all the moaners (born post mid 70s) tbh, most of them voted and loaned themselves into their own rut. And anyway, half the Irish here are already at the illegal side and dont want anything to do with official ID taking and such, so most of us couldnt vote anyway.

Really half?? Obviously you have facts to back this up?
Because your facts seem to be taken from thin air.
MODSo please Damo - no more of this crap please. This isn't the first time, but it will be the last.

Also people say Bertie ahern should be in jail due to the fact he has forgotten illegal payments allegedly made by various businessmen.

MOD Back on track please, keep discussion about voting/election.

jank

Ponster wrote: »

Wrong thread. Your posts are likely to result in the thread being locked or moved.


Here is an interesting site about Irish-abroad voting rights.

Thats an interesting site. There apparently a promise to give emigrants votes in up coming presidential elections. I can imagine this would be a stepping stone to full voting rights in General Elections too.

However, not sure how much of a priority this is now.