Election candidates not respecting people's wishes not to engage

P_1

Ok so something that I've noticed around election time is candidates ignoring people's wishes for them not to canvas them. We have the examples of obnoxious placing of campaign posters, flyers being posted into doors with 'no junk mail' signs on them and the case of the candidate in Athlone seemingly getting a woman who tore up his flyers getting fined for littering.

So my question is this. Does the idea of election canvassing trump the individuals right to choose who they engage with?

dee_mc

I'd recommend a sign stating 'No canvassers, no election material please' as well as the 'no junk mail' sign (most candidates and their loyal followers wouldn't consider their information leaflets etc to be junk ). I know when I canvassed for someone a few years ago we respected peoples' right to refuse to be canvassed, but obviously that varies.

Gongoozler

No it doesn't.

If I walk down the street it is my choice to talk to somebody, the chuggers etc have no right to expect an answer, just as if I'm at home and someone rings my door bell, it is my choice as to whether or not I'll answer it. Doesn't matter who it is. If you put up a sign saying don't leave political literature in my post box, I should have the right to take it and shove it down their throats.

My name is URL

and the case of the candidate in Athlone seemingly getting a woman who tore up his flyers getting fined for littering.

A Labour candidate too. In touch with the common folk as usual. What a petty little man Gerry Sheridan is.

Alf. A. Male

P_1 wrote: »

Does the idea of election canvassing trump the individuals right to choose who they engage with?

No, but they are vote and power hungry and have no respect for your wishes. Or, in their language, they have to work with the disenfranchised to help them engage with the process and feel empowered again.

I Heart Internet

I'd be more inclined to vote for a candidate who was willing to take on some of the loud-mouth malcontents who put up those kinds of handwriten posters whinging about politicians.

humanji

It's not like they're going to pay attention to your wishes when they're elected. Why the hell would they care before then?

Manach

Whilst people should engage with the politicians and allow them to be informed how people are trying to survive trying times, people also have a private space. This space is invaded more and more by emissaries of the state, so the one area where privacy can be respected in not to be engaged should be not be breached.

snubbleste

Have a recording device ready and tell them you are recording their commitments

sillyoulfool

humanji wrote: »

It's not like they're going to pay attention to your wishes when they're elected. Why the hell would they care before then?

^^^^^^
That +1000

P_1

humanji wrote: »

It's not like they're going to pay attention to your wishes when they're elected. Why the hell would they care before then?

Sadly true. I know people say that you can get them to do what you want when they're looking for your vote but when they get it they seemingly don't give a continental shoite about you so you'd have to ask what the point is.

P_1

snubbleste wrote: »

Have a recording device ready and tell them you are recording their commitments

What bit of difference will that make? They put their commitments on the spam that they send out when they're looking for the vote and we all know how easily they tend to forget about them

clappyhappy

Had a guy call canvassing last night. Seemed like a sound bloke until he started going on about something he had an agenda about. Engineers now having to become chartered engineers, but won't be able to sign off on new builds.......

3 times I said to him that that didn't interest me as I have no plans on building. Still didn't listen, I tried to engage in something about the school, he reverted to his own agenda again.

Suffice to say he won't be getting any vote from me. He should have listened to me!!

Wicklowrider

I Heart Internet wrote: »

I'd be more inclined to vote for a candidate who was willing to take on some of the loud-mouth malcontents who put up those kinds of handwriten posters whinging about politicians.

You live in a free country and that is your right. Seems very odd to vote for someone who has not got the decency to leave a person in peace after they have been specifically requested.

The question of trespass comes into it when a person refuses to leave private property and the use of minimum force is legally permitted to remove the trespasser

rubadub

dee_mc wrote: »

I'd recommend a sign stating 'No canvassers, no election material please' as well as the 'no junk mail' sign (most candidates and their loyal followers wouldn't consider their information leaflets etc to be junk ).

Many indeed do not consider their stuff to be junk, the word junk has negative connotations which seems to upset these intrusive disrespectful cunts. The term I see recommended to use is "no unaddressed mail", there should be no arguing against that. Its ridiculous to have to put up a new sign, what next, "oh you better add a new sign saying no 4 star pizza menus, they do not consider their stuff to be junk". There is a election forum with canvassers, I was wondering about the legality of me dumping a fridge over the gate of a canvassers house, if I just paint "vote labour" on it am I suddenly exempt, "but your honour he clearly had no sign up on his side gate saying no fridges, I presumed he wanted it"

Some canavssers said they ignore "no junkmail" signs, I asked twice if they would also violate a "no unaddressed mail" sign, none have replied but have seen it. Thread is here
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057152246

I explain how they have violated local county council rules & safety guidelines, as well as the well publicized ESB warnings.

petrolcan

I place a simple message on my front door.

'Canvassing will disqualify'

Seems to do the trick.

JimsAlterEgo

rubadub wrote: »

Many indeed do not consider their stuff to be junk, the word junk has negative connotations which seems to upset these intrusive disrespectful cunts. The term I see recommended to use is "no unaddressed mail", there should be no arguing against that. Its ridiculous to have to put up a new sign, what next, "oh you better add a new sign saying no 4 star pizza menus, they do not consider their stuff to be junk". There is a election forum with canvassers, I was wondering about the legality of me dumping a fridge over the gate of a canvassers house, if I just paint "vote labour" on it am I suddenly exempt, "but your honour he clearly had no sign up on his side gate saying no fridges, I presumed he wanted it"

Some canavssers said they ignore "no junkmail" signs, I asked twice if they would also violate a "no unaddressed mail" sign, none have replied but have seen it. Thread is here
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057152246

I explain how they have violated local county council rules & safety guidelines, as well as the well publicized ESB warnings.

junk mail to me is unaddressed mail

3DataModem

"Ineligible to vote"

dee_mc

3DataModem wrote: »

"Ineligible to vote"

Ha I've heard of people trying that, then having the candidate 'sort it out' for them!

rubadub

JimsAlterEgo wrote: »

junk mail to me is unaddressed mail

I agree, so do Comreg, but go to that thread I linked to and you will see the canvassers disagree. Like I said, "junk" has negative connotations,

Put a sticker on your letter box that states you don’t want unaddressed mail (or 'junk mail') to be delivered to you. For example, write 'no unaddressed mail please'. - See more at: http://www.askcomreg.ie/post/can_i_stop_unsolicited_mail.3.232.LE.asp#sthash.cpwgg4F4.dpuf

Tombo2001

rubadub wrote: »

I agree, so do Comreg, but go to that thread I linked to and you will see the canvassers disagree. Like I said, "junk" has negative connotations,

Its like that guy on the radio last week saying everyone in his electrical engineering firm has to do a health and safety course before they can climb up electricity poles. But that the canvassers - i.e. the political parties who make these rules - have no problem sending lads out with ladders and climbing up every electricity pole in the country.

Much the same with the 'interpretation' of junk mail. The political classes believe the rules dont apply to them.

Kat1170

Return it in an addressed unstamped envelope. Hopefully they will get caught for the postage and might then get the message.

eviltwin

dee_mc wrote: »

I'd recommend a sign stating 'No canvassers, no election material please' as well as the 'no junk mail' sign (most candidates and their loyal followers wouldn't consider their information leaflets etc to be junk ). I know when I canvassed for someone a few years ago we respected peoples' right to refuse to be canvassed, but obviously that varies.

I have a sign like that in my porch, it says "no canvassers after 7pm as I have a young child with special needs needing to sleep"....SF have ignored it and rung the door. I won't be voting for them.

dee_mc

eviltwin wrote: »

I have a sign like that in my porch, it says "no canvassers after 7pm as I have a young child with special needs needing to sleep"....SF have ignored it and rung the door. I won't be voting for them.

Would you consider writing to them and suggesting they use canvassars who can read/ obey instructions/ respect people's wishes?

Sheldons Brain

My girlfriend did not respect my wishes not to engage.

6781

That woman who got done for littering when she tore up the leaflet sounded like a right weapon when she was on Today FM this evening. The councillor sounded like a arse for reporting her for littering.

mikemac1

dee_mc wrote: »

Ha I've heard of people trying that, then having the candidate 'sort it out' for them!

Was walking to the Luas one morning and the local Green party candidate stopped me

Told him I'm registered down home in Tipp and I won't be voting for any Dublin candidates. I wasn't dodging him, it's true

He whipped out a form to get me added to the supplementary register and offered to walk me the nearest Garda station to do the deed

The guy had initiative! I was silently impressed. But he's getting no vote as I ran away to catch my Luas

Hootanany

My name is URL wrote: »

A Labour candidate too. In touch with the common folk as usual. What a petty little man Gerry Sheridan is.

Another nail in their coffins

monkeysnapper

I live around the corner to a candidate and he passes me and my wife everyday and you never get a hello or how are you. Just completely ignors us and everybody els we know, that's ok, I m ok with that but come a couple of months before every election , he nearly crosses the road to say hello .

This has been going on for 10 years or so, he used to get in every time no problem but last time he was out on his ass and was crying all over town .

This is a farmer who moves his cows for milking on a main road by our housing estate and his dogs Shyte all over the pavements and cows all over road.

I don't know about anyone els but I feel a lot better for getting that off my chest , and if he calls I'll be telling him all this as well .

I Heart Internet

6781 wrote: »

That woman who got done for littering when she tore up the leaflet sounded like a right weapon when she was on Today FM this evening. The councillor sounded like a arse for reporting her for littering.

I certainly don't believe her story that she put the torn up pieces in the bin.

monkeysnapper

6781 wrote: »

That woman who got done for littering when she tore up the leaflet sounded like a right weapon when she was on Today FM this evening. The councillor sounded like a arse for reporting her for littering.

Yeh I listened to her and she said she didn't fight with any of her neighbours, I bet their all to scared to fight with her . What I laughed at was her story didn't quite make sense, she said she was putting her kids to bed when he called but said of a incident that happened after on same day and said 3/4pm , maybe she was putting her kids to bed early to go out canvassing for herself.

Banjo String

Prob a case of closing the stable door after the horse has bolted.

PR stunt. Nothing more.

A local election candidate has attempted to extricate his campaign from an ongoing littering row, by paying a fine given to a woman who tore up his election leaflets in front of him.

The Labour Party's Gerry Sheridan – for the last five years a member of the moribund Mullingar Town Council – said that "particular sensitivities" surrounding the case prompted the move.

Cllr Sheridan, a former council official, was canvassing the Fair Green area of Mullingar on Thursday week last, when a mother-of-three, Michelle Byrne, confronted him for putting election fliers through her door.

http://www.westmeathexaminer.ie/news/roundup/articles/2014/05/11/4030170-councillor-pays-fine-for-woman-who-tore-up-his-election-fliers/

Clown.

Reiver

What a sound woman.

Fighting Irish

P_1 wrote: »

Ok so something that I've noticed around election time is candidates ignoring people's wishes for them not to canvas them. We have the examples of obnoxious placing of campaign posters, flyers being posted into doors with 'no junk mail' signs on them and the case of the candidate in Athlone seemingly getting a woman who tore up his flyers getting fined for littering.

So my question is this. Does the idea of election canvassing trump the individuals right to choose who they engage with?

Imo election flyers wouldn't really be junk mail

P_1

Fighting Irish wrote: »

Imo election flyers wouldn't really be junk mail

IMO it depends on the individual. Some people might consider them as so and that they are capable of researching what the candidate stands for themselves without the aid of a shiny flyer.

fullaljackeen

Fighting Irish wrote: »

Imo election flyers wouldn't really be junk mail

You'd get banned for trolling by most forums if you wrote some of the stuff politcians put on flyers. Its provocation. Or agrivation.

Thundercats Ho

Before they start talking. I just say 'no thank you, bye now' and then close the door.

Fighting Irish

P_1 wrote: »

IMO it depends on the individual. Some people might consider them as so and that they are capable of researching what the candidate stands for themselves without the aid of a shiny flyer.

I've no interest in politics at all but to me election flyers would not be trash, the population needs to know what they're options are