Introducing http://www.boards.ie/vote

Nehaxak

On the basis of 1st pref votes cast thus far, why are media outlets even bothering to include FF in a leaders debate, when it certainly looks like SF will be a bigger party than them ?

Puzzling...

Greenman

Well done.

Looks great:)

Thanks very much:)

Victor

Nehaxak wrote: »

On the basis of 1st pref votes cast thus far, why are media outlets even bothering to include FF in a leaders debate, when it certainly looks like SF will be a bigger party than them ?

Puzzling...

They have to base such things on actual past performance, not current performance based on limited polls.

thetonynator

Nehaxak wrote: »

On the basis of 1st pref votes cast thus far, why are media outlets even bothering to include FF in a leaders debate, when it certainly looks like SF will be a bigger party than them ?

Puzzling...

SF have far higher and FF far lower support on boards than they do in general.

ejmaztec

The South Kerry poll isn't representative because the Healy-Rae supporters don't know what the internet is.

BrianD

Why is there the 'spoil vote' option? It's ridiculous. Particularly for this particular exercise - which is a brilliant idea otherwise!

There is zero democratic expression in spoiling a vote. Spoiled votes count for nothing and are only an incidental statistic. No conclusions can be drawn - other than perhaps people were to stupid to fill in out a form. I have yet to hear anybody state "There were a lot of spoiled votes in that election"

It would be much appreciated if the spoil vote option was removed. It has no place in our democratic system.

gonedrinking

DeVore wrote: »

On Monday we will start again on fixing these errors...

DeV.

I've voted but I'm not getting that tick under my username like you and others have, why is that?

lucernarian

BrianD wrote: »

Why is there the 'spoil vote' option? It's ridiculous. Particularly for this particular exercise - which is a brilliant idea otherwise!

There is zero democratic expression in spoiling a vote. Spoiled votes count for nothing and are only an incidental statistic. No conclusions can be drawn - other than perhaps people were to stupid to fill in out a form. I have yet to hear anybody state "There were a lot of spoiled votes in that election"

It would be much appreciated if the spoil vote option was removed. It has no place in our democratic system.

I disagree with that. If people feel that candidates are not up to scratch but want to express their protest, I feel they should be given that option. A lot of spoiled votes count as simple errors and mistakes but those who write Dustin the Turkey on the page and give him the number one are intentionally spoiling their ballot as they are legally entitled to do.

If the poll is to be as realistic as possible, this type of vote needs to be accommodated for.

Dozen Wicked Words

So all the money spent by the government on computerised voting wasn't wasted, think I saw the hierachy at Boards with their wheelie wagons pulling all the machinery into HQ!

Slick presentation by the way, once all the little snags are sorted.

oscarBravo

gonedrinking wrote: »

I've voted but I'm not getting that tick under my username like you and others have, why is that?

Did you select the option on the voting page to display it? If not, you can cast the same vote again but with the option selected.

BrianD

To_be_confirmed wrote: »

I personally disagree with that. If people feel that candidates are not up to scratch but want to express their protest, I feel they should be given that option. A lot of spoiled votes count as simple errors and mistakes but those who write Dustin the Turkey on the page and give him the number one are intentionally spoiling their ballot as they are legally entitled to do.

If the poll is to be as realistic as possible, this type of vote needs to be accommodated for.

But that's the point. It's not any form of protest whatsoever! It counts for nothing, doesn't even register as a protest. It's a reasonable conclusion to draw that the pile of spoiled votes are by those too stupid to fill in the form (though the evidence seems to suggest that spoiled votes are not done on purpose).

The current electoral system (unless it's a referendum) is that you vote FOR something not against it. It's an affirmative action and also an instruction to the returning officer.

The ability of spoiling a vote is a flaw of the pen and paper system and doesn't. The boards system is an electronic system so there is no need to have a spoiled vote as you can't spoil an electronic vote!

Those are elected are from the pool of valid votes whether it's the paper or electronic system.

The excuse "that the candidates aren't up to scratch" is lame and not applicable. The appropriate course of action is - don't vote and save your and others time. There's no obligation to vote and there's no legal entitlement to spoil a vote other than the fact that you can under the paper and pen system and it has to be accounted for (and then rejected).

It would be great to see all those stored machines in use this time round!

lucernarian

BrianD wrote: »

But that's the point. It's not any form of protest whatsoever! It counts for nothing, doesn't even register as a protest. It's a reasonable conclusion to draw that the pile of spoiled votes are by those too stupid to fill in the form (though the evidence seems to suggest that spoiled votes are not done on purpose).

The current electoral system (unless it's a referendum) is that you vote FOR something not against it. It's an affirmative action and also an instruction to the returning officer.

The ability of spoiling a vote is a flaw of the pen and paper system and doesn't. The boards system is an electronic system so there is no need to have a spoiled vote as you can't spoil an electronic vote!

Those are elected are from the pool of valid votes whether it's the paper or electronic system.

The excuse "that the candidates aren't up to scratch" is lame and not applicable. The appropriate course of action is - don't vote and save your and others time. There's no obligation to vote and there's no legal entitlement to spoil a vote other than the fact that you can under the paper and pen system and it has to be accounted for (and then rejected).

It would be great to see all those stored machines in use this time round!

That post is ignoring the reality that people can and do spoil their votes intentionally. I can see why it makes no sense whatsoever to do that in the case of a referendum as one can only want an amendment to be passed or else kicked to touch etc. If they don't want a referendum to exist in the first place then logically the best thing to do would be to stay at home. In the case of an election, you can't vote "no" to the candidates.

You say that spoiling one's vote is not a protest. What basis is there for this claim? I would consider any action which voices disapproval in a way that other people can see to count as a protest. Were large numbers of people to spoil their ballots, this would be remarked upon and disseminated in the public domain. Tallymen and the likes would also see what people were writing on ballot papers and this would also be made public.

Why do you go on to say that human error is responsible for all spoiled ballots? I have tallied myself and seen things written on ballot papers. Some of them were clearly intentional. Whether they're stupid or not for doing that is a matter of opinion, nothing more or less.

As far as people's reasons for spoiling a vote are concerned, I'm not privvy to them. I've seen no need to spoil mine yet. What are your grounds for saying that the reasons must be "lame" and "not applicable"? Not applicable to what exactly? As there is no law prohibiting it, anyone who wants to can spoil their ballot at leisure.


And this brings me back to the substansive point. While there are people out there who intend to spoil their ballot paper, the Boards.ie poll should reflect this outcome. If one wants to be as realistic as possible, the way to show this is not to remove the option to spoil but to add an option for people to write what they'd like to spoil the ballot with.

ardmacha

It might have been an idea to ask people for their age group or gender, just to provide a frame of reference for the degree to which this represents the population.

5h4mr0(k

ardmacha wrote: »

It might have been an idea to ask people for their age group or gender, just to provide a frame of reference for the degree to which this represents the population.

Might also help to indicate if they are actually entitled to vote.

Sibylla

Excellent idea great to see how people are voting in advance, Not surprised to see Fine Gael and Labour leading the polls with the greens even below Fianna Fail.

DeVore

There's an option on the voting page to say you want to display the fact that you voted.

DeV.

takun

snyper wrote: »

Its a pretty cool survey and worth doing from a boards.ie point of view, but it will be wholly inaccurate when compared to the actual election results - demographics, its all about demographics.. or the lack of a variety of demographics on the Internet

Yeah, but it sure is interesting to see how some parties - FF and Sinn Fein in particular - are faring with this (still quite varied) demographic. Portent of the future?

I am 54, so well outside the 14-40 demographic suggested, though I suspect there may be more 'older voters' than many people think in the boards membership. And would they also be more likely to vote here, thus redressing the balance at least a little? For example I've been reading boards for a long time, but only signed up yesterday so I could vote (am way more active on twitter). As did a friend of similar (slightly older) vintage when I sent them a link to the survey.

Victor

BrianD wrote: »

The ability of spoiling a vote is a flaw of the pen and paper system and doesn't. The boards system is an electronic system so there is no need to have a spoiled vote as you can't spoil an electronic vote!

Yes you can. You can go to the polling clerk, get your name struck off the list and then not vote.

DeVore wrote: »

There's an option on the voting page to say you want to display the fact that you voted.

Is that done in real time or in batches?

mazzy maz

Is there any reason why the ULA candidates don't have profile pictures in this poll?

Darragh

Hi, because we take this information from the database that TheJournal.ie are putting together, it may simply be that we haven't been supplied with a photo yet.

Patch123

When I log in to vote I can't select any candidates - they will not 'select' for me when I click on them. Is it because I have posted less than 25 posts? if so I feel disenfranchised! Maybe I'm missing something obvious though...

Darragh

You are clicking on the green "Select" button under them, are you?

There's more details over on http://www.boards.ie/vote/help.php

But you'll see the select button () under the photos, like below:



When you do this, they'll move into the right column like this:



and then when you're happy with your vote, click "Vote Here"



Hope that helps!

pavb2

Also wanted to say not only a brilliiant idea but fantastic technical skill and knowledge to implement it truly impressive

Patch123

Thanks Darragh, I am clicking on the select box under the pictures, but when I do nothing happens - they're not moving into the right column - nothing at all happens in fact...

Darragh

Weird! What browser are you using? You're on a computer (as opposed to a mobile phone), yes?

Trotter

Is there anything stopping someone from registering a few accounts to vote? I wonder has there been a spike in new registered accounts?


Its a fantastic idea and the numbers participating will be huge with any luck!

Darragh

Trotter wrote: »

Is there anything stopping someone from registering a few accounts to vote? I wonder has there been a spike in new registered accounts?

Not really anything "stopping" people, but we are keeping an eye on registrations - so far nothing out of the ordinary.

I'd pity anyone who'd go to the trouble of registering multiple accounts just so they can vote in this!

Pal

takun wrote: »

Yeah, but it sure is interesting to see how some parties - FF and Sinn Fein in particular - are faring with this (still quite varied) demographic. Portent of the future?

I am 54, so well outside the 14-40 demographic suggested, though I suspect there may be more 'older voters' than many people think in the boards membership. And would they also be more likely to vote here, thus redressing the balance at least a little? For example I've been reading boards for a long time, but only signed up yesterday so I could vote (am way more active on twitter). As did a friend of similar (slightly older) vintage when I sent them a link to the survey.

I'm not too far off your age and have voted honestly too.
(Still can't understand twitter. gave up on it):rolleyes:

Patch123

Darragh wrote: »

Weird! What browser are you using? You're on a computer (as opposed to a mobile phone), yes?

I'm using firefox on a samsung netbook. the select buttons are just not being recognised as clickable buttons, for whatever reason.

liamtech

How about showing the number of seats each party has currently according to the boards vote simulator.