Local Elections 2014: What issues will you be raising with candidates on the door?

muffler

Banjoxed wrote: »

Talk about raising the expectations of your voter base beyond any reasonable point.

I would have thought that statement applies to every party and not just Sinn Fein (or shinners as you prefer to call them)

Banjoxed

muffler wrote: »

I would have thought that statement applies to every party and not just Sinn Fein (or shinners as you prefer to call them)

Okay. Changed to Sinn Féin to dodge flying snark.

muffler

Banjoxed wrote: »

Okay. Changed to Sinn Féin to dodge flying snark.

Lets not get narky so and keep to the topic at hand.

Did you ask questions of any candidates who knocked on your door and what do you feel are the important issues here in Donegal?

Banjoxed

muffler wrote: »

Lets not get narky so and keep to the topic at hand.

Did you ask questions of any candidates who knocked on your door and what do you feel are the important issues here in Donegal?

Three canvass groups knocked at my door: Fine Gael, Sinn Féin and the independent Nicholas Crossan. Direct Democracy Ireland dropped a leaflet in but didn't ring the door. No other canvassers called at all.

I missed the SF canvassers as I was out, and spoke to the local FG candidate and to Mr Crossan about road works and sewage. I will be giving both a high preference. Neither candidate made any kind of hyperbolic claim about anything outside their remit.

2moreMinutes

I only got talking to four candidates at my front door. Three of them rang the bell and waited for a response while the other one rang the doorbell, immediately put a leaflet in my letterbox and had started walking back down the drive when I called him back. His leaflet had "I called and missed you" written on it even though he obviously didn't want anyone to answer the door.

I also got talking to a few others who were canvassing on behalf of candidates. The thing that struck me about these people was that they (the ones I spoke to anyway) had not got the slightest clue at all. One group was essentially a gang of teenage girls who basically told me they were told to knock once on the door, drop the leaflet in and go!

The candidates I spoke to were also poor. I'm not going to mention names as I'm not affiliated to any candidate or party and my experience with any individual isn't really relevant to anyone else.

On the issues of the property tax and commercial rates, I was told that they all wanted to either reduce them or else get rid of the property tax. When I asked what would have to then increase to make up the shortfall, I got the hilarious mixed answers of either "if those pulling in disgusting wages in Dublin were paid a lot less, we could get rid of the property tax" and " well the shortfall will have to come from somewhere else which I'll work to ensure doesn't affect ordinary people".

I also got the standard "we need more jobs for our young people and we need to reduce the costs of employing people". When quizzed on how they're gonna do that from Lifford, they're apparently all gonna lobby their party's TDs to ensure action is taken.

I'd respect those I talked to a lot more if they gave honest, realistic answers instead if the type of populist nonsense that they seem to think would get them votes.

muffler

2moreMinutes wrote: »

One group was essentially a gang of teenage girls who basically told me they were told to knock once on the door, drop the leaflet in and go!

You obviously had the same visitors as I mentioned earlier in the thread


q dannie :pac:

2moreMinutes

muffler wrote: »

You obviously had the same visitors as I mentioned earlier in the thread


q dannie :pac:

I get a little depressed when I think that I was annoyed that a group of girls were knocking on my door.

The most productive thing to come out of the whole campaign for me was an interesting talk about GAA with one candidate

muffler

Canvassing is over and we are now officially into election day so like previous years / elections lets have a little fun now with the predictions. The prize for whoever gets the most correct predictions in a single electoral area will be 5 pints at the next beers night. In reality that means the winner has to buy me 5 pints.

I'll kick this off with who I think will be elected in the Stranorlar EA........in alphabetical order:

Gerry Crawford
Gary Doherty
Liam Doherty*
Martin Harley
Frank McBrearty
Patrick McGowan


* I think it will be close between Liam Doherty and Bert Galbraith so Im just covering my ass here

supersonic64

Marie Therese Gallagher (SF)
John Sheamuis Ó Fearraigh (SF)
Seamus Ó Domhnaill (FF)
Enda Bonner (FF)
Terence Slowey (FG)
Micheal Cholm Mac Giolla Easbuig (Ind)


In no particular order, I'll go with this lot for Glenties

alchemist33

Anybody know why they were just tallying today, and not actually counting the votes?

echo beach

alchemist33 wrote: »

Anybody know why they were just tallying today, and not actually counting the votes?

Good question. From looking at the results coming in from other counties it looks as if Donegal is the only one where there was no counting on the Saturday.
Given the number of runners in the Letterkenny/Milford area it is bound to be a long count so why not start as soon as possible? Open those boxes first and then start counting them while the other areas where being opened or is there a shortage of staff to do that?

muffler

echo beach wrote: »

From looking at the results coming in from other counties it looks as if Donegal is the only one where there was no counting on the Saturday.

There were a few councils around the country, maybe about 8 or so, who decided not to commence the count until today, Sunday.

K-9

muffler wrote: »

There were a few councils around the country, maybe about 8 or so, who decided not to commence the count until today, Sunday.

Apparently its a traditional thing in Donegal, going by the Sindo. Independents doing well in Letterkenny, O'Donnell elected, McGarvey and McBride doing well and looking likely and Shiels looking like he'l take one of the last seats. Cullen still an outside chance. Looks like 3 FF, 2SF, 1FG and 4 Independents.

muffler

muffler wrote: »

I'll kick this off with who I think will be elected in the Stranorlar EA........in alphabetical order:

Gerry Crawford
Gary Doherty
Liam Doherty*
Martin Harley
Frank McBrearty
Patrick McGowan

You know that old saying about self praise being no praise......it's a load of ****.

6/6 is pretty good

yourpics

Cannot understand why people have voted in FF, FG and Lab, particularly FF candidates, have they all short memories!!!

2moreMinutes

yourpics wrote: »

Cannot understand why people have voted in FF, FG and Lab, particularly FF candidates, have they all short memories!!!

Ah sure isn't it AGES since FF ruined the country.....

retalivity

2moreMinutes wrote: »

Ah sure isn't it AGES since FF ruined the country.....

"And sure he's not like them bad ones down the country, shur didn't he fix the road? His father was a great man too"

oranbhoy67

retalivity wrote: »

"And sure he's not like them bad ones down the country, shur didn't he fix the road? His father was a great man too"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjl8OIZijjY&feature=kp

cant believe people still voting for them, even worse are the ones moaning about them being voted in who didnt bother to vote

NIMAN

I think the resurgence of FF is something that sums up politics in this country.

Their sins were soon forgotten.

Banjoxed

NIMAN wrote: »

I think the resurgence of FF is something that sums up politics in this country.

Their sins were soon forgotten.

People can be greedy. And dumb. Much of politics depends on these two factors.