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Count Centres - Public access

  • 25-02-2011 09:35PM
    #1
    Finscout
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23 ✭


    Just wondering can you just go into the count centres to watch whats going on?


Comments

  • #2
    pixbyjohn
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,250 ✭✭✭pixbyjohn


    Yes you can, they are open to the public. Lots of people go to watch election counts.


  • #3
    Finscout
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23 ✭Finscout


    Thanks, Might pop up tomorrow so.


  • #4
    county man
    Closed Accounts Posts: 120 ✭✭county man


    Finscout wrote: »
    Just wondering can you just go into the count centres to watch whats going on?

    Yeah I intend going to my constituency count centre tomorrow.There are barriers that prevent you getting too near the people doing the counting but you get a pretty good view of whats going on.


  • #5
    Uncle Ben
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,843 ✭✭✭Uncle Ben


    You would want to check it out before you just land at the count centre. I am just looking at my admission ticket from the returning officer in this constituency and going on past experience in locals etc. if you don't have the ticket you wont be admitted.:(


  • #6
    Pythia
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,469 ✭✭✭Pythia


    pixbyjohn wrote: »
    Yes you can, they are open to the public. Lots of people go to watch election counts.

    Eh, generally not from my experience. You need a ticket to get in, certainly in the morning. They have security checking tickets. You get tickets by being involved with a candidate or party.


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  • #7
    Finscout
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23 ✭Finscout


    Surely the public should be able to view the counting? Would tickets only be for tallymen etc?


  • #8
    Pythia
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,469 ✭✭✭Pythia


    Finscout wrote: »
    Surely the public should be able to view the counting? Would tickets only be for tallymen etc?

    Any count I've been to, the general public hasn't been allowed in at all. Maybe it's different in other areas. The only people allowed in are people with tickets who are generally tallymen.


  • #9
    Uncle Ben
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,843 ✭✭✭Uncle Ben


    Finscout wrote: »
    Surely the public should be able to view the counting? Would tickets only be for tallymen etc?

    I agree the public should be able to view the count, however it is a matter of accessibility, not all count centres are the size of the RDS or Leisureland in Galway, and ultimately it goes down to candidate allocations.


  • #10
    Finscout
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23 ✭Finscout


    I'm in Louth so if anyone knows that'd be great.


  • #11
    not1but4
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 264 ✭✭not1but4


    Finscout wrote: »
    I'm in Louth so if anyone knows that'd be great.

    Have a look at this
    http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056192125

    I know someone who has a pass for tomorrow in the DKIT


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  • #12
    Kimono-Girl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,160 ✭✭✭Kimono-Girl


    Cork city hall (south central count) is open to the public....


  • #13
    liverpool100
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 54 ✭✭liverpool100


    is Rds Dublin open to public without ticket(Just walk in) ?


  • #14
    Quackles
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,484 ✭✭✭Quackles


    Depends on where it is... last local election count I went to stuck to the 'you need a pass' rule. In general, they get more lapse as the day goes on. I have no pass, but will head to the count tomorrow.


  • #15
    SeaFields
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,551 ✭✭✭SeaFields


    Is it worth going in? Is it just a load of people shifting through papers or is it possible to see what's going on in terms of numbers?


  • #16
    mikemac
    Closed Accounts Posts: 19,969 ✭✭✭✭mikemac


    SeaFields wrote: »
    Is it worth going in?

    When your candidate gets elected you can hoist them on your shoulders, start cheering and get your face on TV :cool:


  • #17
    takun
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 173 ✭✭takun


    Quackles wrote: »
    Depends on where it is... last local election count I went to stuck to the 'you need a pass' rule. In general, they get more lapse as the day goes on. I have no pass, but will head to the count tomorrow.

    That's my experience. If you go along first thing in the morning without a ticket, you may not get in. Leave it till about 2 and you'll stroll in. It all gets a bit chaotic as the day wears on with people coming and going, and the whole ticketing thing falls apart.

    Or if you do want to get in at the start, loiter about till you see a politician arrive and quietly attach yourself to the entourage - the ticket checking isn't like airport security, it's fairly easy going in my experience.

    In theory the public are allowed, because the count is a public event and has to be open to public scrutiny. As someone said earlier, the ticketing is simply because there isn't room in some centres.


  • #18
    wow sierra
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,085 ✭✭✭wow sierra


    As far as I know you need a pass - you definitly need one for most count centres. There may be some centres that you don't need a pass for but you need one for the ones I am familiar with.


  • #19
    psycho-hope
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,245 ✭✭✭psycho-hope


    the last time there was an election in wicklow you didnt need one, maybe things have changed tho


  • #20
    imme
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,200 ✭✭✭imme


    liverpool100 wrote: »
    is Rds Dublin open to public without ticket(Just walk in) ?
    no, definitely not. you'd have to be with one of the candidates to gain admittance, or have letter of authorisation from them.


  • #21
    Satts
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 818 ✭✭✭Satts


    Anybody know what access is like in Cork East ( Mallow) count centre ?


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  • #22
    bcirl03
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 484 ✭✭bcirl03


    I went along to the Dublin Mid West count yesterday out in Citywest and was denied entry at first. I asked for 2 of the candidates by name that were standing and after a while I did get in.

    I can understand the centres that are small not allowing or restricting people coming in. But at the very least there should be a public viewing gallery after all it's our election.

    Looking at the TV last night some of the count centres seemed to have a lot there especially in Mayo where Kenny was elected. And I'm sure they all didnt have connections to the candidates.

    To be honest it wasn’t that exciting but something I wanted to see.


  • #23
    Pythia
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,469 ✭✭✭Pythia


    A public viewing gallery is great in principle but in many count centres there isn't enough space. In my area, we had to move outside the constituency to have the count as there was nowhere big enough to hold it, let alone section off extra space for a gallery.


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