ARE you going to vote

Galwayguy35

I will but not sure who I will vote for yet.

People in other countires walk miles in blistering heat to vote yet some here in Ireland are too lazy to get up off their arse and cast their vote but are the first to whinge about the state of the country and it's politicians.

cannotlogin

I think its important to vote, otherwise you can't complain about the result.

The divorce amendments are the most important vote in my opinion.

In terms of the local elections, given I've limited knowledge of the candidates, it's more difficult to decide what to do. I'll probably decide more by a process of elimination, and who I want to keep out and see what's left.

branie2

I will

its_steve116

No. I don't give a toss about politics.

OldMrBrennan83

I'm won't be. Never registered as there's not a politician worth a vote.

I can still think whoever gets in is doing a shít dishonest job (because they will be) because my one vote won't have kept them out regardless.

RobbingBandit

Nope live in Finglas Labour FF and Green Party running here so far with the odd few independent fliers in my no junk mail mail box. Couldn't care less next time I'll see or hear from anyone is the next election they just slink away and rise again.

HalloweenJack

I live in Spain. I have lived here for seven years and I plan to continue living here for the rest of my life. I work here, I pay rent, I pay taxes, I contribute to the Spanish economy. But because I'm not a Spanish citizen, I can't vote. I can't have a say in who rubs the country where I live. Until I become one, that'll be the case. I don't think its fair but it is what it is. There was an election yesterday and I would have loved to cast a vote but no dice.

You don't appreciate your vote until you don't have one. Please make the most of it, whoever you vote for, even if its a spoiled vote. Its better than sitting on your arse and not getting involved. I'd love to have the opportunity.

sdanseo

Voting (even a spoiled vote counts) is a civic duty. Unless you are out of the country or otherwise unable, there's absolutely no excuse not to.

Basic cornerstone of fundamental democracy that people fought and died for. The least you can do is take half an hour every couple of years and have your voice heard.

If not, you have no right to complain about the result, ever.

If everyone who said there's no one decent enough to deserve a vote spoiled their vote, there would be enough spoiled votes to make us an international embarrassment and something would have to be done.

OldMrBrennan83

Berties_Horse wrote: »

Why deny yourself a voice.

There's nothing to use my voice for. They're all just the same people with a different coloured banner above their head.

Nobody is really getting a voice from voting anyway. Loads of people fool themselves that they have one but you've to vote with the majority for it to count anyway.


_

Squatter

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo wrote: »

I really hope Crowley doesn't get voted back in. He literally does nothing.

He isn't running. The bad press he got over the past few years obviously shamed him into calling it a day.

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo

Squatter wrote: »

He isn't running. The bad press he got over the past few years obviously shamed him into calling it a day.

I'm sorry, but I don't think Crowley has ever run...

Annasopra

cena wrote: »

As the title says, well you be voting on May 26?

No

I'll be voting on May 24th

Annasopra

B_ecke_r wrote: »

is it really on a Sunday?

Nope. The op got the date wrong

Annasopra

LollipopJimmy wrote: »

I am currently looking into moving to Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown so I can vote for Grace Tallon.

You cant because she is retiring as a councillor

Annasopra

Strawberry Milkshake wrote: »

How is it allowed? You can’t possibly represent your national electorate if you’re concentrating on the fun and games in Europe.

They would to resign as a TD if they become an MEP

Nikki Sixx

Never been so uninterested in the people interested in lining their own pockets. Rents are at an all time high and no politician seems to give a sh1t, why would I care about them advancing their own career. Why would I listen to their lies at the door?

Wanderer78

Nikki Sixx wrote:

Never been so uninterested in the people interested in lining their own pockets. Rents are at an all time high and no politician seems to give a sh1t, why would I care about them advancing their own career. Why would I listen to their lies at the door?

Nobody really knows what to do about our housing problems, this goes far beyond our political institutions, I can see this one staying around for a long time yet, politicians do care about it, they just don't know what to do about it

Annasopra

Wanderer78 wrote: »

Nobody really knows what to do about our housing problems, this goes far beyond our political institutions, I can see this one staying around for a long time yet, politicians do care about it, they just don't know what to do about it

Nah thats not true

The government are stubbornly sticking to their policy because of an ideology that the market serves all

Opposition parties have detailed polcies too

https://www.fiannafail.ie/our-policies/housing/

https://www.sinnfein.ie/housing

https://www.labour.ie/manifesto/affordable-housing-for-all/

Hal3000

These guys going for the European elections. Guy came to my door this morning and said can I have your first ? I asked him sorry who are you and what have done in this area ? He's made for politics as he deflected the question. Short answer, no I won't be voting in Europeans, absolutely Yes for Generals.

Wanderer78

Joeytheparrot wrote: »

Nah thats not true

The government are stubbornly sticking to their policy because of an ideology that the market serves all

Opposition parties have detailed polcies too

https://www.fiannafail.ie/our-policies/housing/

https://www.sinnfein.ie/housing

https://www.labour.ie/manifesto/affordable-housing-for-all/

i will agree with you that the market is not actually capable of providing us with all our needs but im not convinced anybody else really knows what to do about changing this either, this is a very complicated problem, and we re not the only country with this problem

LoonyLovegood

Voting's important. The whole "Oh my vote doesn't count", last time out someone lost a seat in Galway by 27 votes, there's been elections where three or four votes have made the difference. Our voting system, while flawed, is probably the fairest system there is.

I changed flights so I can vote, I'll be at the polling station for 7am and then straight to the airport to head off. Still deciding orders, but I know who I want my votes to go to. Plus the referendum, finally getting divorce out of the constitution is a win.

Ficheall

sdanseo wrote: »

Basic cornerstone of fundamental democracy that people fought and died for. The least you can do is take half an hour every couple of years and have your voice heard.

I hope you spend more than half an hour researching to whom you are going to give your vote.

sdanseo wrote: »

If everyone who said there's no one decent enough to deserve a vote spoiled their vote, there would be enough spoiled votes to make us an international embarrassment and something would have to be done.

Like what? And how would it be achieved?

LoonyLovegood wrote: »

last time out someone lost a seat in Galway by 27 votes

Can you remind me who got in/lost out on those 27 votes? And ideally, what difference it made to anything?

retalivity

Im a home owner in dublin who'd consider myself slightly socially left but also slightly fiscally right of centre. My options -

Ff - no chance, never forget cowen, bertie et al
Labour - a mishmash of liars, clowns, champagne socialists and alan kelly
Sf - i cannot bring myself to vote for them
Pbp/aaa - looney free houses for all brigade - no
Renua/Aontu - wtf did they find these lads
Inds - generally single-issue or megalomaniacs, some may be worth a local vote but a waste of a european one
Gp - see labour
Social democrats - well meaning i think, with good ppl (murphy and shortall), but i feel they will go the way of labour and gp with any hint of power. Also pander to the free everything brigade
That leaves fg, who i have never voted for and have abhorrent ppl like Frances Fitzgerald standing. Theyre whole "for the ppl who getup in the mornin" schtick is a load of bollix too, jumping on whatever populist bandwagon comes along. Fcuk them.

So im left with a spoiled vote

That’s why I think there should be a none of the above option. If it was declared at the count that X amount of constituents did not want any of the candidates and/or their party’s, they would have to take notice. That would either leave an opening for a new party to form or the current ones to wise up and listen to what the voters have to say.

As is stands, if you just spoil you vote, all the candidates will do is just brush the spoiled vote number under the carpet with the excuse that the voter must have marked the ballot paper incorrectly.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Sadly I've lost all interest in politics and voting. I don't care to listen to policies and promises knowing that someone is feeding me a line of bullsh*t & lies.

I've always voted and could never understand why someone wouldn't vote. And I know people fought and died the world over to give the people the right to their vote, well we also have the freedom to choose not to vote too.

Wanderer78

Cadence Orange Mine wrote: »

Sadly I've lost all interest in politics and voting. I don't care to listen to policies and promises knowing that someone is feeding me a line of bullsh*t & lies.

I've always voted and could never understand why someone wouldn't vote. And I know people fought and died the world over to give the people the right to their vote, well we also have the freedom to choose not to vote too.

people should of course have the right not to vote but if we all give up voting, our ability to have some sort of democratic society also diminishes, even though i can understand your opinion, i have considered giving up myself, but...

van_beano

Deregistered from voting last year, my one man protest against the system and annoyed they had me on the edited register.

Squatter

retalivity wrote: »

Im a home owner in dublin who'd consider myself slightly socially left but also slightly fiscally right of centre. My options -


Social democrats - well meaning i think, with good ppl (murphy and shortall), but i feel they will go the way of labour and gp with any hint of power. Also pander to the free everything brigade

The Soc Dems who are happy to run a dodgy asylum seeker as a candidate for election to the biggest council in Ireland?

A candidate who may be removed from the country if her asylum claim is refused, but who, if elected, might be able to challenge the deportation on the basis that she's an elected councillor. Contemptible by the Soc Dems, who lost any chance of my support by indulging in that kind of chicanery.

1hnr79jr65

Spoiled vote for me, none of these parties or individual clowns deserve to be elected in.

My most hated are FF, soon as they announce themselves as FF at my door i just close it on them without a word as they not worth my time.

Cowen(s), Lenihan, Ahern, Reynolds, Hanafin and all the rest that wrecked this country and threw jobs away are a waste of breathable air.

Yer Da sells Avon

No their all the same

Golden Cockerel

I always vote but I've never seen a bigger bunch of useless chancers on the ballot in my area. I simply can't endorse any of them, same old sh1te, so I'll give this one a miss.

enda1

Sour Lemonz wrote: »

Spoiled vote for me, none of these parties or individual clowns deserve to be elected in.

My most hated are FF, soon as they announce themselves as FF at my door i just close it on them without a word as they not worth my time.

Cowen(s), Lenihan, Ahern, Reynolds, Hanafin and all the rest that wrecked this country and threw jobs away are a waste of breathable air.

Then give everyone but FF a preference!?

Scoundrel

I've never voted for FG or FF in my life and never will Labour will never get a vote from me until all the dinosaurs like Howlin Kelly Burton et al are gone but everyone else I would consider giving a vote to.

Many independent candidates would have been fully fledged FF members or councilors back in the day. I’d question their real motives for now being independent as they were happy to be with FF before the **** hit the fan.

Scoundrel

Strawberry Milkshake wrote: »

Many independent candidates would have been fully fledged FF members or councilors back in the day. I’d question their real motives for now being independent as they were happy to be with FF before the **** hit the fan.

Yep when voting for independents you have to be very careful about whether they are actually independent or just some arsehole who left FF FG etc

EmmetSpiceland

Scoundrel wrote: »

I've never voted for FG or FF in my life and never will Labour will never get a vote from me until all the dinosaurs like Howlin Kelly Burton et al are gone but everyone else I would consider giving a vote to.

Would you vote FF or FG is they came out with policies you agreed with?

I find the idea of blanket refusals to vote for “the other team” incredibly shortsighted.

I wouldn’t vote SF but if they dumped all their “old guard” and the “Mickey Mouse” economic policies I could see myself giving them a preference. Maybe add sorting out all the bullying that seems to be rife within the party as well.

Scoundrel

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

Would you vote FF or FG is they came out with policies you agreed with?

.

That is extremely unlikely but if they did so I would of course consider it.

cannotlogin

retalivity wrote: »

Im a home owner in dublin who'd consider myself slightly socially left but also slightly fiscally right of centre. My options -

Ff - no chance, never forget cowen, bertie et al
Labour - a mishmash of liars, clowns, champagne socialists and alan kelly
Sf - i cannot bring myself to vote for them
Pbp/aaa - looney free houses for all brigade - no
Renua/Aontu - wtf did they find these lads
Inds - generally single-issue or megalomaniacs, some may be worth a local vote but a waste of a european one
Gp - see labour
Social democrats - well meaning i think, with good ppl (murphy and shortall), but i feel they will go the way of labour and gp with any hint of power. Also pander to the free everything brigade
That leaves fg, who i have never voted for and have abhorrent ppl like Frances Fitzgerald standing. Theyre whole "for the ppl who getup in the mornin" schtick is a load of bollix too, jumping on whatever populist bandwagon comes along. Fcuk them.

So im left with a spoiled vote

I agree with a lot of this other than spoiling your vote.
Even if you don't like any of them can you not rank them from least worst option to worst option. I regular vote based more on who i want to keep out more than who i want to vote in.

DrPhilG

No.

Because I'll be in sunny Las Vegas.

Johnnyhpipe

I honestly believe this particular election makes zero difference. As such I have no interest in voting this time.

dhaughton99

Golden Cockerel wrote: »

I always vote but I've never seen a bigger bunch of useless chancers on the ballot in my area. I simply can't endorse any of them, same old sh1te, so I'll give this one a miss.

In a large west Dublin district. All our locals are either affiliated with the GAA , solicitors or ex junkies with new found confidence. I recognize 2 or 3 candidates from going back years and putting in the work. The rest are the new bunch of chancers looking to use the position as a steppingstone. I won’t be voting.

ArchXStanton

No, I won't give that charade the legitimacy it so desperately wants

Annasopra

Strawberry Milkshake wrote: »

Many independent candidates would have been fully fledged FF members or councilors back in the day. I’d question their real motives for now being independent as they were happy to be with FF before the **** hit the fan.

Yep.

A lot of the independents out my way are all ex ff

lbc2019

First time I've no great wish or desire to vote for anyone

Johnnyhpipe

dhaughton99 wrote: »

In a large west Dublin district. All our locals are either affiliated with the GAA , solicitors or ex junkies with new found confidence. I recognize 2 or 3 candidates from going back years and putting in the work. The rest are the new bunch of chancers looking to use the position as a steppingstone. I won’t be voting.

What is it with the ex junkies running these days?!

eviltwin

eviltwin wrote: »

I always vote.

I am almost with you. I abstain a lot. But I will _always_ vote in a referendum.

It is a shame if people think it is the same thing. Voting - and changing your constitution - should always be treated very very differently. But alas many people think they are much and the same.

eviltwin wrote: »

Looking forward to voting to reform our ridiculous divorce laws too.

I will vote yes for divorce for the same reason I would vote "NO" to allow people in relationships like mine to marry.

But I am not sure yet what I am voting YES for. Are we changing a ridiculously large waiting period for a slightly less ridiculously large waiting period?

I am all for voting for a system where the people who signed into an agreement are allowed mutual instant cancellation of that agreement? But I am not sure how marriage and divorce laws works in general - given I am not a part of them

Bit of a tool here. I know so little about divorce laws in general. Educate me!!!! Please?

Annasopra

Deleted User wrote: »

I am almost with you. I abstain a lot. But I will _always_ vote in a referendum.

It is a shame if people think it is the same thing. Voting - and changing your constitution - should always be treated very very differently. But alas many people think they are much and the same.



I will vote yes for divorce for the same reason I would vote "NO" to allow people in relationships like mine to marry.

But I am not sure yet what I am voting YES for. Are we changing a ridiculously large waiting period for a slightly less ridiculously large waiting period?

I am all for voting for a system where the people who signed into an agreement are allowed mutual instant cancellation of that agreement? But I am not sure how marriage and divorce laws works in general - given I am not a part of them

Bit of a tool here. I know so little about divorce laws in general. Educate me!!!! Please?

Theres a guide on this site

https://www.refcom.ie/

Larbre34

ArchXStanton wrote: »

No, I won't give that charade the legitimacy it so desperately wants

What part of the process do you consider a pretence? These dudes will be the ones deciding how to spend money in your county, just as TDs decide how to spend your taxes, theres nothing false about those facts.

Larbre34

I always vote unless im abroad, which is rarely.

If you want a reason, I'll give you two topical ones, Spain and Venezuela.

In the case of Venezuela, the socialist revolution movement of Chavez started out 37 years ago as a political grouping, which entered the stage democratically with about 8% support. It finished up repaying the people that elected him with a torn up constitution and a failed impoverished state now being gripped onto by Maduro. The first presidential election that put Chavez in power was a 56% win on a 63% turnout, i.e. 38% of the country ended up deciding the awful fate of the rest.

"is this how liberty dies, to thunderous applause?"

In Spain last weekend, the virulent far right Vox party got 24 seats at their first attempt, the first parliament members of such a persuasion since the end of Franco. Not good you might say, but they were tipped to get 70. As it was, a decent 76% turnout limited their ambitions and will return a centrist coalition of some hue.

"The price of liberty, and even of common humanity, is eternal vigilance.”

So participate, or don't, its a free country here from that perspective, but don't whinge and blame other people when someone very distasteful gets legitimacy by your inaction.

dhaughton99

Johnnyhpipe wrote: »

What is it with the ex junkies running these days?!

PBP