Did everyone actually get to vote yesterday?

Nero

I didn't because I was not allowed as I didn't have a polling card! - I never received my polling card in the first place. When I enquired from the register of electors about it they said my vote had been posted out two weeks ago(which I never received). I would not mind but what the hell has changed between the Nice treaty and now as I had a 'normal' vote then with no problems.

I was talking to my brother in-law last night and as it turns out he also never received a polling card and when he went to vote yesterday he too was not allowed either.

They are blaming the rain this morning for the low turnout, what a joke !!!!

Mixie

I didn't get my card either, but I was allowed to vote after providing them with photo ID.

Meh

I thought you didn't need a polling card in order to vote....? I was under the impression that if you turned up with valid ID and your name was on the register, they couldn't stop you from voting. Anyone know anything about the legalities of this?

seamus

Yeah that's about the skin of it. It even says on the card - You may be required to show proof of your identity at the station through production of this card and/or valid photo ID. If you were registered (at that station) they shoudln't have been able to stop you. Oh well too late now. I'm registered in Wicklow (ugh) so I think I'll be switching to my current Dublin residence asap. Afaik, you just go into a post office don't you? There is absolutely no help anywhere on registering to vote, etc. Ridiculous.

Stephen

I couldn't vote because I'm a student away from home (i've ranted about this in another thread).

I would have voted had I the opportunity.

strat

I voted

Acidflash

i'm a student living away from home so i couldn't vote, something should be done about that

Bard

Yeah- something should be done about that.

Rounding up all students and shooting them... that'd work.




Oh, I voted.

Meh

Originally posted by Acidflash
something should be done about that

I agree. How about getting the students to 1) register in the constituency where they actually want to vote and 2) shut the **** up with their whinging.
You denied yourself a vote by being too lazy to either make the trip home or reregister in the constituency where you actually live.

And I voted.

seamus

Originally posted by Meh
You denied yourself a vote by being too lazy to either make the trip home or reregister in the constituency where you actually live.

I didn't register. My parents ticked me off on some sheet the got through the door. Student's aren't told how to register, or when or where to register. The first I saw about registering was at the start of last December. A sign outside the pheonix park said 'Register by the 25th of November or you won't have a voice'. That was it. No how to do it, where to do it, and outside the pheonix park. Who the fúck is going to see it outside the pheonix park?!?! I see little or no campaigning material inside here in UCD (although I am normally just in one area). The government don't push for student votes because we seem to be apathetic. However, everyone I know, who became registered in the same way I did, voted yesterday. So obviously if a 'Register Centre' or something similar was set up in UCD and other colleges, say in November, I'd say plenty of students would vote. I didn't register myself, because I didn't think of it, ie, no reminders.

In fact how do I go about reregistering? There's no info anywhere!!

Acidflash

i didn't know i could reregister in the constituency where i live.

Meh

A few minutes looking around www.irlgov.ie brought up this:
http://www.environ.ie/elections/areureg.html

seamus

Searching also revealed this:
http://www.oasis.gov.ie/moving_country/moving_to_ireland/right_to_vote.html

You will normally be required to vote in person at an official voting centre, however, you may be eligible for a postal vote if you are a member of the Defence Force, a member of the Garda Siochana or an Irish diplomat posted abroad or his/her spouse. You may also be eligible for a postal vote if you cannot go to a polling station because of a physical illness or disability or because you are studying full time at an educational institution away from your home address where you are registered.

No-one has any excuse.

kiffer

I di'nt get a polling card nor did anyone else in my house ... and when i went to vote all i needed was ID ... how ever according to the people in the polling station everyone (they said alot or most) from my area was saying they got no polling cards ...
I wonder whats going on, as this seems to be very widespread?
I could say it was a plot to affect the turn out in some areas ... its a plot I tells ya, a Plot....

ReefBreak

Here here regarding students moaning about not being able to vote! They might know how to whinge, but they sure as hell don't know how to register. I walked past a bunch of very crusty students protesting outside the Dáil the other day. Shoutin' n' screamin' about the referendum being on a Wednesday and them not being able to vote. If they registered in Dublin they could vote for whichever crusty tree-hugging candidate they preferred.

And to answer the question, I voted.

gurramok

I didn't vote because i was in work until 8pm and it was not safe to travel down to the booth, too many scumbags to pass by on way down to it

Biffa Bacon

I was allowed to vote even though I was asked for ID and I didn't have any on me at the time, nor did I have my polling card with me. They let me away with it because I was able to name the other people at the same address as me who were also on the register. With concerns about Sinn Féin's "personation" tactics, this is something of a worry for the upcoming general election is it not?

On the issue of students voting, I didn't know they could register in the constituency they're living in either. I don't think it's good enough to say you should go searching for the info yourself, someone should be making this known to everyone.

Victor

Originally posted by ReefBreak
If they registered in Dublin they could vote for whichever crusty tree-hugging candidate they preferred. And to answer the question, I voted.

So which candidate did you vote for?

ReefBreak

I voted for Doctor No.

Mr.Applepie

Originally posted by Stephen
I couldn't vote because I'm a student away from home (i've ranted about this in another thread).

I would have voted had I the opportunity.

Yeah but Bertie didnt want you to vote as the majority of students are deemed to be more liberal in there views then the older generations. The referendum was put on wednesday so that students living away from home would find it vary hard/difficult to vote therefore increasing the chances of a yes vote(almost worked) and a much needed win for bertie after losing the nice referendum. Had it been on a saturday(like the nice one i think) i believe the no vote would have been stronger.

suppafly

Yeah I also didn't get to vote for the same reason, living away from home, but that out that I wanted came out anyway is its all good.