General Election 2016: Meath

Donn Cuailnge

PopePalpatine wrote: »

Surely giving them no preference at all dents their chances more than a last place preference, no?

In this election they're nine candidates. Filling 1-8 and leaving one spot blank or filling 1-9 are the same thing. Using either of these methods of voting decreases marginally the chance of your least preferred candidate getting elected.

PopePalpatine

Technically they're not the same thing, there's always the small chance that your vote can work its way down to that last-placed candidate.

Donn Cuailnge

PopePalpatine wrote: »

Technically they're not the same thing, there's always the small chance that your vote can work its way down to that last-placed candidate.

No. There is no chance when you fill the ballot paper that the last preference will ever get your vote.
If you don't fill your ballot paper there is a chance that your vote ends up in the non-transferral pile. And your vote is now no longer in play.
Last time out 2 candidates got elected without reaching the quota. This wouldn't happen if everyone filled there ballot paper.

Haven't had any of the gombeen men to the door, neither have the neighbours. In my case I think it might be that I told them the last time to go and sh%t in their hats and the next one who called at my door during meal times might actually be at risk of physical harm, but my closest neoghbour thinks that's most likely due to living in the countryside and they won't drive up our road for fear of damaging their cars due to the pot holes :-)

Doesn't really matter who gets in the promises won't be kept. FG's most pressing first order of business on getting into power was to cut overtime for low paid workers, while saying that pay and pensions for corrupt bankers and regulators couldn't be cut/stopped as this would be a breach of the contracts these people had. Laying out the red carpet for Trump so he could put Irish staff on zero hour contracts.

Labour, paraphrasing Rabbit in the headlights (yes I'm aware of the spelling) Promises are what you make to get elected, after that their just words, oh and labours way not Berlin.

FF just no. Asked a good friend who is a party member and is currently out canvassing for the local TD in my dad's area about going into power with FG. He's of the opinion that they should just to stop SF getting power. Asked why and was told it was felt by him that to much of the status quo would change if they got into power, wouldn't elaborate any further on his answer so can't say any more on this but the mind boggles.

SF Don't mind the whiff of Semtex to be honest, all parties in Ireland had that at some stage, FF entered the dail the first time armed because they belived the them FG party wouldn't hand over power without them having to shoot a few TDs.
But most likely not as their a political party that just makes populist noises and nothing will change under their tenure.

Renua. No way in hell, I work 60 hours a week and am paid for 38. If they get in it'll be worse plus their the type that make the Klan sound like moderate reasonable people. Also bit of an animal lover so not a fan of their views on fox hunting etc.

The rest of the parties don't have candidates or I just haven't really looked at their polices enough to be honest.

Independents: still looking at one which just isn't after a TDs pension.

Rather a sad state of afairs to be in to be honest but you get what you vote for.

Fiskar

PopePalpatine wrote: »

I can really empathise with you SP, given that the final seat is a fight between Cassells and Butler I'm debating whether to give Butler a preference just to keep FF out, even though I agree with Butler on pretty much nothing (even less than Cassells, according to smartvote.ie). I couldn't be bothered with any of the independents either.

I think Butlers time is done and needs a miracle to get back in. Cassells would have a lot of local backing in Navan and is quite a critic of Michael Martin and I give him credit for that having heard him on more than one occasion voice open criticism. I would be giving him a vote over the shinners and FG.
Unfortunately we have little other choice given the parties and candidates in the county.
Peader really needs to leave that party before it implodes, Slabs sentencing is tomorrow and my moral self will never vote for a party with terrorist links and gangland crime connections. My mate lives in Finglas, we have a pint in the local where a convicted bomber who is a sinn fein TD still ambles in to sell an phoblacht. Enough said, even my mate has morals and won't vote for him.

Fiskar

The way I see is as before, using Yates analysis which is pretty close I reckon, FG will have 51, FF will have 39, SF will have 29, Labour 7, SD 3, AAA/PBP 6 and indos 22. Renua predicted at just 1! Watch that one.

The SF number is the elephant in the room but it would take FG, Labour, SD and a number of independents to allow FG form any goverment. Enda will sell his soul to the devil but possibly not to SF who have a maths problem in order to get back into power. I see another election before year end with a few party leader changes, chief among the scalps will be Enda and Moany Joany and even perhaps Chuckie (Grizzley) himself.

Fiskar

Panic setting in the English camp,

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/election-2016/news/row-as-election-leaflet-calls-for-voters-to-give-preference-to-minister-over-his-running-mate-34487274.html


I love a bit of drama

bladespin

Gonna relish giving fg the finger tomorrow.

martinr5232

Fiskar wrote:

Panic setting in the English camp,

Got one of his flyers in the door tonight at about 8 o clock they didnt ring the bell though.

chewed

I've never been so apathetic or unmotivated for a general election before! I'm sitting here on the PC still trying to decide who to give my votes to or whether to bother at all! I've never once missed voting for an election or referendum but I'm just so unimpressed with the selection of candidates in Meath West.
I may end up flipping a coin!

haro124

chewed wrote: »

I've never been so apathetic or unmotivated for a general election before! I'm sitting here on the PC still trying to decide who to give my votes to or whether to bother at all! I've never once missed voting for an election or referendum but I'm just so unimpressed with the selection of candidates in Meath West.
I may end up flipping a coin!

Smartvote.ie was helpful for me, see who you actually agree with (if any!)

PauloMN

Stroke Politics wrote: »

I'm not supporting Peadar Tóibín due to his poistion the 8th amendment and the right of a woman to choose. I also feel he is in the wrong party; he himself is a good person, but there is still a whiff of semtex from those he associates with.

This notion of *not* voting for someone based on one issue drives me mad.... almost as bad as voting for someone purely based on one issue. We are voting for a national government, not on one issue. I don't know the individual opinions on the 8th of the candidates I am voting for, and I couldn't care less. There will very likely be a referendum on the issue regardless of who is elected, and I want to vote in people I think we run the economy in the best manner (or make the least balls of it).

chewed wrote: »

I've never been so apathetic or unmotivated for a general election before! I'm sitting here on the PC still trying to decide who to give my votes to or whether to bother at all! I've never once missed voting for an election or referendum but I'm just so unimpressed with the selection of candidates in Meath West.
I may end up flipping a coin!

Bottom up approach. No perfect candidates, just rule out who you think would make the biggest balls of things, and it'll leave you with a slim choice to give your first few preferences to! Don't give ANY preference to anyone who you do not want near the Dáil.

For me it's about trying to vote those in who could form the most credible and stable government, even if I don't especially personally like some of those potential candidates.

Stroke Politics

PauloMN, to clarify, I would not be giving my no. 1 vote to P Tóibín, I like my vote to count all of the way through the count, so I gave him a no. 7, ahead of Malone at 8, and Cassells at 9.

I was at the count centre in Trim for the last election, in 2011 it was TBF, a bit of a joke the length of time it was going on for a relatively straightforward 3-seater constituency. Final declaration was on the Sunday afternoon AFAIR, after adjourning at 1am. I was joking with RTE's Eimear Lowe reporting on the count at the time, that there'd be peace in Libya sooner than this count being completed. HOw wrong I was and how bad that turned out.

busload of northern SF'ers arrives in to chair Tóibín around the hall and disrespect brath na hÉireann. I'll be stating well away from Simonstown Hall this time around....

dixiefly

PauloMN wrote: »

This notion of *not* voting for someone based on one issue drives me mad.... almost as bad as voting for someone purely based on one issue. We are voting for a national government, not on one issue. I don't know the individual opinions on the 8th of the candidates I am voting for, and I couldn't care less. There will very likely be a referendum on the issue regardless of who is elected, and I want to vote in people I think we run the economy in the best manner (or make the least balls of it).



Bottom up approach. No perfect candidates, just rule out who you think would make the biggest balls of things, and it'll leave you with a slim choice to give your first few preferences to! Don't give ANY preference to anyone who you do not want near the Dáil.

For me it's about trying to vote those in who could form the most credible and stable government, even if I don't especially personally like some of those potential candidates.

I disagree Paulo, people are entitled to decide based on an issue if it is that important to them. What I do disagree with is people voting the same party (usually FF) in election after election no matter what they do.

Myself, I was inking a little towards Peader but the Special Criminal Court policy made me decide not to support them.

Btw, is there argy bargy between Butler and English? Was that Damien English's big poster that was taken down across from Kiltale GAA pitch on the way to Dublin?

Donn Cuailnge

Stroke Politics wrote: »

PauloMN, to clarify, I would not be giving my no. 1 vote to P Tóibín, I like my vote to count all of the way through the count, so I gave him a no. 7, ahead of Malone at 8, and Cassells at 9.

I was at the count centre in Trim for the last election, in 2011 it was TBF, a bit of a joke the length of time it was going on for a relatively straightforward 3-seater constituency. Final declaration was on the Sunday afternoon AFAIR, after adjourning at 1am. I was joking with RTE's Eimear Lowe reporting on the count at the time, that there'd be peace in Libya sooner than this count being completed. HOw wrong I was and how bad that turned out.

busload of northern SF'ers arrives in to chair Tóibín around the hall and disrespect brath na hÉireann. I'll be stating well away from Simonstown Hall this time around....

No the final count in 2011 in Meath west was late Saturday night / early Sunday morning. Your memory is playing tricks on you

PauloMN

Of course people are entitled to vote based on one issue, that's not my point, I just think if lots of people do that, it's no wonder we end up with the people in the Dáil that we do.

I always vote in a general election with the Government in mind, the institution that is there to run our economy and services, and not on individual issues. I would disagree with EVERY candidate on something I am sure, if I did vote for people based on a single issue, I'd never vote!

(BTW this is nothing to do with Tobin, I'm not voting for him anyway, but the reason is not a single issue like the 8th, it's the whole economic policy of his party I take issue with).

FF - I stopped voting for them pre-2007 and never will again. Can't understand how people can forget the recent past so easily.

dixiefly

PauloMN wrote: »

Of course people are entitled to vote based on one issue, that's not my point, I just think if lots of people do that, it's no wonder we end up with the people in the Dáil that we do.

I always vote in a general election with the Government in mind, the institution that is there to run our economy and services, and not on individual issues. I would disagree with EVERY candidate on something I am sure, if I did vote for people based on a single issue, I'd never vote!

(BTW this is nothing to do with Tobin, I'm not voting for him anyway, but the reason is not a single issue like the 8th, it's the whole economic policy of his party I take issue with).

FF - I stopped voting for them pre-2007 and never will again. Can't understand how people can forget the recent past so easily.

I would agree with you there on both those points. How FF got over 7,000 votes in Meath West the last election baffles the hell out of me.

bladespin

Turnout in Navan was looking strong tonight.

Vego

Johnstown school was jammed at 6pm motivated voters by the look of it ........But for who

Fiskar

Got off train at Coolmine - Dublin West tthis evening to be greeted by 3 canvassers for Moany Joany, she must be sensing the envitable, I gave yer one a look and a dirty look to yer man and shook me head at both.

Took myself and the daughter up to vote, she saying what I am saying, ****e selection of people and parties in Meath West and doubtful anything we do or say will change the national course.

What has me disappointed is that English is 14 years elected Td and Tobin 5 years, yet no employer of any note is in Meath.

Vego

With the exit poll predictions looks like another election soon

Fiskar

Vego wrote: »

With the exit poll predictions looks like another election soon

Only difference will be a change of leaders, SF, FG & Labour. What will happen then is that it will be hung again and there will be no option but for FF and Fg to form a government.
FG have lost the initiative, a Health report held over till after the election will slam the government investment in health, world economy worries and you have a nice mix of issues for the next election.
100 year anniversary for 1916 and we still won't have a government!

haro124

Not overly surprised by the results. Always knew that FF would do better than expected. Bad one for SF and FG. But I'm still presuming 1FG 1SF 1 FF for Meath West. 1 FF 1 FG and who knows for East

Maysa07

Meath East Looks like this ..

BYRNE Thomas 28.40%
McENTEE Helen 18.20%
DOHERTY Regina 17.80%
O'ROURKE Darren 14.50%

Meath West..

CASSELLS Shane 27.00%
TÓIBÍN Peadar 25.00%
ENGLISH Damien 21.00%
BUTLER Ray 12.00%

NufcNavan

Labour got as many votes as the Greens in Meath West. LOL

Maysa07

It looking more likely that FG will hold onto their two seats and see off the challenge of Darren O'Rourke. It will be all down to the transfers of the Independents.

Dubh Geannain

56% turnout in Meath West.

I can understand why. But folks can't moan if they don't at least vote in order of who they dislike the least.

Scottie99

One box from the Johnstown area of Navan is missing it's being reported.

Fiskar

Scottie99 wrote: »

One box from the Johnstown area of Navan is missing it's being reported.

English probably has it and trying to doctor the votes.

Watching the drama essewhere (Dublin west, Dublin bay south and Creightons constituency)

Fiskar

Reckon FF should insist on Enda standing aside as a condition of Government and away from Labour. Would like to see FF, FG and SD as the Government