So,is there anybody not voting this Friday?

Naos

Nope as I'm heading to Wales, not too happy about that.

man the van

i havent recieved my voting card yet, even though i am registered..should i be getting worried? i really want to vote, more so than ever, so i would be very dissapointed if i didnt get that chance

danniemcq

man the van wrote: »

i havent recieved my voting card yet, even though i am registered..should i be getting worried? i really want to vote, more so than ever, so i would be very dissapointed if i didnt get that chance

You don't need a card, if you have ID you can drop down to the polling station and they can have the list of names infront of them.

There seems to be a lot of people who haven't got theirs either.

dub_skav

squod wrote: »

There's a bunch of economists you've heard of who have a plan that addresses your point. David McWilliams, Constantin Gurdgiev et al are putting forward independent candidates. Sen Shane Ross is one of them.

http://newvision.ie/wordpress/

if shane Ross is one of them it might be an idea to put his name on the website

dub_skav

squod wrote: »

There's a bunch of economists you've heard of who have a plan that addresses your point. David McWilliams, Constantin Gurdgiev et al are putting forward independent candidates. Sen Shane Ross is one of them.

http://newvision.ie/wordpress/

if shane Ross is one of them it might be an idea to put his name on the website

goz83

galah wrote: »

Couple of days ago, I get my polling card for Friday's election. With my new name AND sent to my new address...:eek:

Moved to a small village though, and everyone knows I'm 'ze german' - so I cannot vote. Would probably have gotten away with it in the city...

Your polling card says otherwise. I would vote in your position, small town or not. It might make for some interesting talk in the small town. Old ladies gossipping for weeks about "ze German" who voted. And it might shut up some lazy asses who didn't bother to put pen to paper for their country when a German did.

mconigol

I won't be voting but I do intend to spend the next few years about whatever decision the rest of ye make.

smokedeels

I'm tempted to draw an ejaculating penis on the voting slip, or perhaps writing some accusation that all candidates are reptilian humanoids... possibly in my own blood.

or...

I'll vote for Labour and the Commies.

123balltv

wont be voting on Friday
the IMF/EU rules this tiny Country

Renn

I love the people coming out with the 'lazy' insults when a good majority of the people are probably just going along with the 'anyone but FF' movement, but most likely know sfa about the situation.

nacho libre

Renn wrote: »

I love the people coming out with the 'lazy' insults when a good majority of the people are probably just going along with the 'anyone but FF' movement, but most likely know sfa about the situation.

are you of the view that people who are informed about the situation would be more sympathetic to Fianna Fail? I would be sympathetic to fianna fowl if they had implemented the mccarthy report in full but they ignored most of the recommendations, because it seems they were worried about losing their core vote. if they had taken extremely unpopular decision back then we might well be in a considerably better position right now. so when fianna fail talk of having taken unpopular decisions for the good of the country it seems hollow to me. They only acted when forced to by europe.
Do you disagree Renn?

Renn

Not at all. I'm just saying that a good few of the anti-FF voters are just voting because they don't want them in. They're not really voting for the policies of the other parties.

danniemcq

smokedeels wrote: »

I'm tempted to draw an ejaculating penis on the voting slip, or perhaps writing some accusation that all candidates are reptilian humanoids... possibly in my own blood.

Don't do that for the love of God! They'll assume that’s a Fianna Fail(ed) vote

Stinicker

I won't be voting because this corrupt government have denied me my vote because I am abroad at the moment. My entire family however is voting for Fine Gael.

I booked my trip to Thailand when Brian Cowen called the March 9th Election, but it was then brought forward.

I will be celebrating the end of those traitors out here in a country that despite being 2.5/3rd world is miles ahead of the cesspit Fianna Fail have left us in.

Duggy747

I'm heading home Friday to do my bit...






















...and then getting pissed in my local :pac:

Fluorescence

I will be voting. I registered about a year ago for Lisbon mark II, and I'm still on the register (I checked, multiple times :P ). I believe it's very important to have your say, but I also believe that if someone can't/doesn't bother to inform themselves on the issues they should abstain from voting. It's people who only vote for one party as if it were a football team without considering the merits of each party that allowed people like Haughey and Ahern to become Taoiseach.

We need an entirely different system though, as the one we have merely serves to put 100+ local council politicians into a government that doesn't need them. If we could abolish the Dáil and create a new system of government being separate from county council, so that people who are capable of understanding and discussing larger issues will be in a position to do so and that people who get bits and pieces done in the local area will be able to put their abilities to most use. This current pick-a-mix of the two doesn't work. Until we have a new system though, I will continue to vote in the one we now have in the vain hope that I can aid those who believe in a new system into power.

Mike 1972

Im_EoinD wrote: »

I don't feel I am educated enough about the parties

You have the internet dont you ?

RussellTuring

danniemcq wrote: »

If anyone who can vote but doesn't and then complains about the shower of whatever that’s in power, they should STFU. You aren't happy with the system, run yourself, you don't like any of the parties, go independent, worst case scenario and you'd rather see a roll of sellotape than any of them spoil your vote.

Don't just sit there and complain, and if you feel one vote won't make a difference there have been several where it has and if you still are thinking why bother FF/FG/LAB are gonna get in and my fave independent is gonna get hardly any votes, canvass for them.

Be it amongst friends, families or co-workers, it could swing it you'd never know.

If anyone does vote for a party who messes up in anyway, they should "STFU", as you so eloquently put it. When you cast your vote, you implicitly say that you support this candidate and any decisions that they make will be in your name. The last General Election, the electorate chose Fianna Fáil. If you think this was the right decision, you're probably in the minority. If you think it was the wrong one then you are saying that representative democracy doesn't work, that the electorate were wrong.

You suggest that if I dislike the political system then I should become part of it. This is patently ridiculous. I dislike the whole idea of the Catholic Church. Should I join the priesthood and try change it from the inside? No I shouldn't. I couldn't betray my conscience like that and woldn't survive that environment. The same goes for the current political system. I would spoil my vote but Irish politics has no quota for elections and spoiling has no tangible effect. If only a few thousand people voted and the majority spoiled, it wouldn't make a blind bit of difference. Only the opinions of the non-spoilers would be counted, likely leading to either FF or FG in power.

I for one will not just sit here and complain. I will get out on the streets and do it to ensure my voice is heard by those who matter: my fellow citizens.

ScienceNerd wrote: »

Ill be voting, though I'm not particularly educated on the parties issues and don't believe them anyway...

I'd rather uninformed people abstained than potentially vote for someone to whom they may later realise they completely disagree with, but it's your choice.

gk5000 wrote: »

There's lots of options and they are all valid. You can vote based on looks, personality, local interests, national interests, self interests...

I hope you're not serious.

Mike 1972 wrote: »

In Egypt, Bahrain, Libya, Tunisia, and dozens of other countries right now pro-democracy campaigners are being gunned down in the street. Meanwhile Paddy cant be arsed :rolleyes: :mad:



incompetent morons are elected by people who dont vote.

If I had to live in such a system as these people, I would die to fight it too. And incompetent morons are in fact elected by people who do vote. What you say makes no more sense than saying American prisoners are executed by those of us who don't live there.

Mackman wrote: »

I cant understand people who are "too lazy" or "couldnt be arsed" or as one poster said here, doesnt want to be blamed if he/she makes the wrong decision.

WTF is wrong with you??????

This vote effects everything, your job, tax, dole if your unemployed, roads, police, schools, hospitals, public service, everything. You can lie to yourselves and say, "sur it wont effect me either way". It does, you're just too naive to see that.

I cant vote because im overseas, i wont be beack till mid march, and i would love to be able to vote. :mad:

I don't like people being apathetic any more than you do, but you have no right to try force them to cast a misinformed vote. They don't want to vote because they don't want to be complicit in whatever their chosen representatives may do on their behalf. Tell me, last time did you vote in the GE for issues relating to your job? Tax? Unemployment? Or anything else you mention? I think not.

Agonist wrote: »

If you stay at home and don't vote you are still voting but in a way you can't control. If Labour lose a seat by one vote - you did that, or if Fianna Fail get in by one seat - you did that. And if an independant misses out on a seat by 100 votes you and 99 other lazy feckers did that too. So don't kid yourself.

If Labour lose a seat by one vote, they didn't deserve it. If FF gain it, they did. As for it being my fault, see my first response to danniemcq.

SV wrote: »

If you are registered to vote and can make it to your polling station but simply choose not to out of laziness or just "not giving a ****" then I'm sorry but you are a ****ing idiot.

You should be booted out of the country the second you start to complain about the government months down the line.

People who don't give a toss are entitled to feel that way. I fail to see how you can make an evaluation on their intelligence due to their opinions or lack thereof on politics. I could easily call someone else an idiot for not caring about economics, but some people don't care and just want to ensure they can go to work, bring their kids to school, and have a pint on Saturday.

Azureus wrote: »

Defo gonna try sort something out with it though; there is no excuse not to vote imo. It amazes me how many people throw away their ability to have a say in how our country is run.

It amazes me how people think that voting in an election every 5 years is voicing their political opinions.

gitterbug wrote: »

after all the Sh1t3 weve gone through the past while is so disappointing and soul destroying to see people CANT be bothered or are jst too lazy to get off their god damn arses to vote.

im sick to death of people complaining and whinging and moaning about the state of the country and why the heck is this happenin and that when ya wont get up and do one good thing for your country.. one thing that IF it was taken away from you, you would be up in arms about it!!

GET UP GET OUT AND BLOODY WELL VOTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


you dont have a right to give out or complain about the state of the place if your tooo lazy or cant be bothered to vote :mad:

If I could vote for the people who really do run this country, then maybe I would. You are happy with the modest rights you have right now. I'm not.

And you are the one who has no right to complain if you're responsible for giving power to anyone else who tramps on your free will or ability to live a comfortable life.

danniemcq wrote: »

What would distinguish you from the “I don’t care ones”. When the votes are counted and tallied and the numbers released it shows how many people spoiled their vote. This would give an accurate enough representation of peoples thoughts as it showed that they had the get up and go TO vote but just found that there was nobody they would vote for.

And these spoilt votes still have no real effect.

danniemcq wrote: »

Also just thinking if nobody there on the ballot paper that you really want in power but say for example you def don’t want ATARI JAGUAR no matter what. You could always vote for everyone else except them.

This is about as ridiculous as you can get. Voting for a candidate because they're not someone else is an unbelievably counter-productive way to vote.

danniemcq

RussellTuring wrote: »

And these spoilt votes still have no real effect.

the stats for this would be interesting though. say we get a 40% no show and 10% would have voted but there was nobody they wanted to vote. If that 10% actually got up and spoiled their vote it would show a massive percentage of the population wants a better political system in Ireland/a shakeup of how things are run etc. esp if more people do this than vote for X party

RussellTuring wrote: »

This is about as ridiculous as you can get. Voting for a candidate because they're not someone else is an unbelievably counter-productive way to vote.

how? say there is a cowboy politician who has had rumours of bribes etc or has a loyal support despite having forged some documents. you know that you don't want them in no matter what, why not vote for someone else?

If parties can say vote one and vote two for their parties candidates why can't joe blogs vote for their competition?

Look at the Dublin election while back when Berties people asked the public to give his running mate their number 2, he got in on despite having less than 900 FP votes.

squod

Voting for FG or FF = Turkeys voting for Christmas.

Faith+1

I'm going to vote for independants. All the partys can go fcuk themselves.

lecker Hendl

Renn wrote: »

But people have the right not to vote so they can do that too.

Unfortunately, these same people willthen moan about people who voted in FG of FF or whoever it is. People saying they are too lazy to vote is a reason we're up the sh*tter. Get up off your hole, and vote. You have a voice. Use it. Even if you spoil it. Clowns.

Aishae

theres a good portion of party die-hards - esp. among the elderly in FF (maybe FG's) case. so its very important that as many as possible have their say - to balance out the die hards and get the general public consensus HEARD - it very rarely happens because some people will throw their hands up in defeat before the election day even happens.

yes ill be voting - with an iron fist (or pen as the case may be) :pac:

RussellTuring

danniemcq wrote: »

the stats for this would be interesting though. say we get a 40% no show and 10% would have voted but there was nobody they wanted to vote. If that 10% actually got up and spoiled their vote it would show a massive percentage of the population wants a better political system in Ireland/a shakeup of how things are run etc. esp if more people do this than vote for X party

So we sould spoil our votes for interesting stats? People choose not to vote for many disparate reasons. If these same people spoilt their votes, they still wouldn't necessarily have the same wishes. And the fact remains that the spoilt votes will officially mean very little and only those who voted for particular candidates will be recognised.

how? say there is a cowboy politician who has had rumours of bribes etc or has a loyal support despite having forged some documents. you know that you don't want them in no matter what, why not vote for someone else?

Because nobody but I can accurately represent my views.

If parties can say vote one and vote two for their parties candidates why can't joe blogs vote for their competition?

They can. But voting for X because they're not Y is not what I'd consider a good reason to vote for someone.

pablomakaveli

Looks like i'll be voting after all. I got my polling card in the post today. Strange though since the rest of my family got theirs Monday. Better late than never though.

desaparecidos

lecker Hendl wrote: »

Unfortunately, these same people willthen moan about people who voted in FG of FF or whoever it is. People saying they are too lazy to vote is a reason we're up the sh*tter. Get up off your hole, and vote. You have a voice. Use it. Even if you spoil it. Clowns.

I think you'll find idiots who don't have a ****ing clue about politics and voted in the local FF gombeens are the reason "we're up the sh*tter".

People who didn't vote have absolutely no responsibility in that respect.

I think it's better if the people who intend to vote just for the sake of voting should sit this one out. Let people with intelligence and an informed opinion decide our puppet government (if they have the time).

Mike 1972

desaparecidos wrote: »

I think you'll find idiots who don't have a ****ing clue about politics and voted in the local FF gombeens are the reason "we're up the sh*tter".

People who didn't vote have absolutely no responsibility in that respect..

Thats a complete cop out and you know it.

The idiots who don't have a ****ing clue about politics and voted in the local FF gombeens will always do so. If YOU dont vote the local FF gombeens get elected and you are just as responsible for what ensues as those who actually voted for them.

qwertplaywert

Never registered but got a polling card,am I good to go?

TPD

So if I draw a cartoon penis on the voting card and spoil my vote, rather than not voting at all, that's acceptable?

Brenireland

I am voting,I am happy to play a part in my countries future.

Mike 1972

TPD wrote: »

So if I draw a cartoon penis on the voting card and spoil my vote, rather than not voting at all, that's acceptable?

It depends on how good you are at drawing.

wilson10

Shame on those who don't vote.

There are are people being riddled with machine gun fire on the streets of Tripoli because they dare to ask for democracy.

Can't. I am in the UK.

tonsiltickler

I'll be voting. Feels like the ship has already sank though. Should I vote even though I plan on emigrating by the end of the year?

Brenireland

wilson10 wrote: »

Shame on those who don't vote.

There are are people being riddled with machine gun fire on the streets of Tripoli because they dare to ask for democracy.

Here Here

Nevermind_

i havent decided yet if i will or not, i might even spoil my vote as i really dont think much of the candidates in my constituency

Brenireland

tonsiltickler wrote: »

I'll be voting. Feels like the ship has already sank though. Should I vote even though I plan on emigrating by the end of the year?

Fine Gael have a 5 point plan.

TPD

TPD wrote: »

So if I draw a cartoon penis on the voting card and spoil my vote, rather than not voting at all, that's acceptable?

It's actively encouraged

dark crystal

wilson10 wrote: »

Shame on those who don't vote.

There are are people being riddled with machine gun fire on the streets of Tripoli because they dare to ask for democracy.

This.

Anyone watching the Libyans literally fighting to the death for the right to vote and still can't be bothered to go out and use their own democratic right should be ashamed of themselves.

There's NO excuse for not voting as far as I'm concerned.

desaparecidos

Brenireland wrote: »

I am voting,I am happy to play a part in my countries future.

Precisely what role will you be playing in the countries future?

lecker Hendl

desaparecidos wrote: »

Precisely what role will you be playing in the countries future?

influencing who gets voted in? It's pretty common sense

desaparecidos

lecker Hendl wrote: »

influencing who gets voted in? It's pretty common sense

Individual votes don't make a blind bit of difference.

After the few seconds it takes to place a mark on the voting card, what role or influence do people have in the future of the country?

Brenireland

desaparecidos wrote: »

Precisely what role will you be playing in the countries future?

When our government collapses I will take over and become the Irish Gaddafi,or should I say O'Gadaffi.

lecker Hendl

desaparecidos wrote: »

Individual votes don't make a blind bit of difference.

After the few seconds it takes to place a mark on the voting card, what role or influence do people have in the future of the country?

A lot of individual votes do make a difference. You are selecting someone you hope to represent your voice. You're making this difficult.

Jazzy

anyone not voting please go and spoil your ballot instead this year I will be voting for former presenter of Gladiators, John Fashanu.

AckwelFoley

Jazzy wrote: »

anyone not voting please go and spoil your ballot instead this year I will be voting for former presenter of Gladiators, John Fashanu.

You should make up your own ballot card, and preform the swith in there...

Personally, a list of porn stars would be full of win..

That way, the candidates would be the ones getting fcuked, not the electorate

Jazzy

snyper wrote: »

You should make up your own ballot card, and preform the swith in there...

Personally, a list of porn stars would be full of win..

That way, the candidates would be the ones getting fcuked, not the electorate

i was thinking of sneaking in some pritstick and a little pic of fash and create another column for him

Chris P. Bacon

What does spoiling a vote mean?

enda1

Richie Cranium wrote: »

What does spoiling a vote mean?

Submitting a polling card but it not being attributed to anyone on the first preference count, then it gets binned and marked down as spoiled.

NeedaNewName

3 polling cards?

One as a welder. One as a suited person. Another as a woman/LGTB?