Do you regard election material as 'Junk Mail'?

Killer Pigeon

k p k p

Aodan83

Any more than one piece of mail from each candidate/party and I would consider it junk mail.
As long as it's informative and not just a flyer saying "Vote for me" with a picture and a name, I'm not too bothered.

Dermighty

I think that election material (posters, fliers etc) are important. I do think that there is a general sense of forgetfulness when it comes to the post elections collections and responsibility regarding cleaning up the posters and fliers.

I do think that candidates fire their information in every letterbox (not a euphemism ) and stick posters up all over the place and then just let the f*cking things fall off onto the road and let the fliers get recycled or just go into the bin.

If 10 politicians send me fliers, not one gives a **** where they end up.

Brenireland

Election Material is not junk mail,although it does depend on which party you may support.

When I receive Fianna Fail/Fine Gael/Labour/Green party/Independent I throw it into the nearest fire.

However each party has policies they would like to highlight and ensure voters know what they are voting for,and what kind of **** they are going to do to our sexy country.

So it is important we know what we are voting for.

Cheers,
Big Ears.

ejmaztec

Waffling political sh1te = worse than junk-mail.

If it's "vote for me" and a picture, yes.

If it's info about their policies etc, no.

macman2010

Anything to do with with Fianna Fail is junk mail in my opinion.

Badgermonkey

Killer Pigeon wrote: »

I'm canvassing this year for a certain political party and I post election material regardless of whether there is a "No Junk Mail" sign because I don't view election material as junk mail.

Why are you coy about which party you are canvassing for?

CrazyRabbit

If I didn't specifically ask for it to be sent to me, then it's spam. That includes bills & those bank/credit card statements the bank insists on sending me.

Sanjuro

If my snail mail box had a spam filter, that crap would go straight into it. If I want to find out about people running in my constituency, I'll look into it myself.

enda1

Badgermonkey wrote: »

Why are you coy about which party you are canvassing for?

Because its not relevant to the question? He doesn't want the results influenced by political position.

Minstrel27

It goes straight in the bin.

Badgermonkey

enda1 wrote: »

Because its not relevant to the question? He doesn't want the results influenced by political position.

You're right.

Just being nosey.

Killer Pigeon

Killer Pigeon wrote: »

I've been arguing with some members on the GE'11 forum about whether or not election material is in fact 'Junk Mail' (thread located here). I'm canvassing this year for a certain political party and I post election material regardless of whether there is a "No Junk Mail" sign because I don't view election material as junk mail. I'm sure there are recidents out there who have 'No Junk Mail' and don't necessarily view election material as 'junk mail' either. If there is a "No election material" sign then of course I would respect the recidents' wishes.

I've decided to put the issue to bed once and for all so I've created the poll above so that people can give their views. If the amount of people who view election material as junk mail is far greater than the "I don't know" option or the "NO" option combined then I will stop posting election material where there is a "No Junk Mail" sign. I hope this sounds fair.

Regards,

KP.

Junk mail is unsolicited mail. Unless it is addressed to the resident it is junk mail. I think it's very wasteful, especially as I do my political research online where there is invariably more detailed information about the candidates.

The least you could do is knock and ask if the person wants it or not.

mikedragon32

If it's not addressed to anyone who lives in my house by name, it's junk mail. Any canvasser ignoring the sign on my door is likely to be followed back down the driveway and have their junk mail returned and it won't be pretty.

If you really want to know about the policies of the various political parties and candidates, browse away from Boards.ie for a few minutes and check out their websites, don't wait for it to be dropped on your doormat.

giant_midget

mikedragon32 wrote: »

If it's not addressed to anyone who lives in my house by name, it's junk mail. Any canvasser ignoring the sign on my door is likely to be followed back down the driveway and have their junk mail returned and it won't be pretty.

If you really want to know about the policies of the various political parties and candidates, browse away from Boards.ie for a few minutes and check out their websites, don't wait for it to be dropped on your doormat.

Pretty much hit the nail on the head there, I have a little label on my letter box "NO JUNKMAIL"

If it's not from the postman we dont want it, bloody chuggers and jobsworths putting garbage through our letterbox on a daily basis...it has stopped since iv put the label on...

Duggy747

They make for great fuel in the fireplace.

mudokon

To me election material is junk mail and I think your logic of it isn't junk mail to you is flawed.

If you had a no junk mail sign on your door & the fast food places adopted that logic then they would still post the fliers through your door on the basis that they don't deem it to be junk mail.

Brenireland

I always sit behind the letter box waiting for the junk mail

xsiborg

unless i ask for the information, it's the same as spam in my inbox, i cant set up filters for every single item in my inbox either. if i subscribe to receive information such as a monthly newsletter from my local politician on their performance in the dail this month, or new legistation in the works, that would be far more useful than a fawning face on a piece of paper.

i see enough with the leery posters and not once in the last 14 years did any politician come to my door and ask how are they doing and is there anything they could do better.

i've seen politicians bleat on about the environment and reducing waste, yet they shove paper in my letterbox and waste money on election posters and travel round the country in election buses, the list goes on. hypocrites.

it may not be what YOU consider junk mail, and that's fair enough, but that is YOUR opinion, and i see no reason to cover my door with "no this, no that, no the other", or using your exammple from the other thread, a person working for a charity might consider that THEIR cause, which is important to THEM, is just as important to me, i just dont know it yet. the point is that i really dont care how important THEY think THEIR cause is, if I think its important, it wont take me much effort to research it.

the old adage that "advice is an insult unless asked for", holds true in this case. your counter argument may consist of "it doesnt take that much to throw it in the bin if you dont want it", in which case i would counter with- it may not take much of an effort to discard it, but its hassle i can do without.

next time you are at a persons door, before you drop in a leaflet, think to yourself- "if i keep this leaflet, im reducing waste in the environment".

"in-your-face" advertising never endeared anybody to a cause.

ejmaztec

Badgermonkey wrote: »

Why are you coy about which party you are canvassing for?

Perhaps he can't spell Feener Foyle.

Azureus

I consider it Junk mail.

My mam rang me bout this the other day actually, she was fuming because canvassers put a load of stuff through the door ignoring her no junk mail sign. She opened the door and questioned them bout it and one lady got really indignant and rude and said my mam must be ignorant if she considered it junk mail! So she now has a whopper sign saying
'All election material = Junk mail (WE'RE PAYING FOR IT ANYWAY!)'

Works

TequilaMockingBird

Instead of all this junk mail/posters/gangs of middle-aged men in long black coats roaming the streets I would welcome a copy of their manifestos posted through my door.

That's all.

The rest is rubbish.

strobe

Killer Pigeon wrote: »

Generally, I knock on the door and if nobody answers it I put in a leaflet that says "Sorry I missed you" and also contains the names of the candidate(s) in the local area, there policies and what they have done already for the local area.

Yes, that is junk mail man. Please stop doing it. It's only one step above throwing your rubbish in the middle of the street.

My 'no junk mail' sign now has a 'This includes political propaganda' white card under it and they are still cramming them in through my front door. Up to now I have been fairly civilised because I figured most of the people delivering them were just doing it for a few quid, like delivering take away menu's. I was unaware it is canvasers doing this. So fair warning, if you push one of these through my letter box and I catch you I will be screaming the fukking head off you and stuffing a big fistful of rubbish from my kitchen bin into your pocket.

_feedback_

I wouldn't consider it junk mail, if it contains policies. As essentially it is in my best interests to read it.

DavyD_83

It's unsolicited mail, I didn't in any way, shape or fiorm ask for it. Therefore YES, to me it's junk mail.
I consider any fliers indescriminately shoved into letter boxes as junk mail.

If it's addressed and posted to me then it's a maybe

strobe

Killer Pigeon wrote: »

Well I think the poll more or less speaks for itself. I still don't consider it 'Junk Mail' but if the above poll relfects the opinions of most residents (which it possible does), i.e., that 80-90% of people view election material as 'junk mail' then I'll respect that opinion.

As of the next time I canvass I will not post election material where there is a "No Junk Mail" sign.

Thank you. Could you also inform your fellow canvassers of this thread please.

DavyD_83

elviscostello wrote: »

I wouldn't consider it junk mail, if it contains policies. As essentially it is in my best interests to read it.

(Insert random flier senders) would claim it's in your best interest to receive their fliers too, they contain prices and phone numbers :rolleyes:. I disagree. If i wanted it I'd go get it or ask for it.

It's the same thing, except politicians aren't after our money directly.

strobe

DavyD_83 wrote: »

It's the same thing, except politicians aren't after our money directly.

They want us to secure a job for them which pays, out of our pockets, well over double the average wage in the country. They are very very directly after our money as far as I can see.

Days

I think that result is pretty conclusive!!

_feedback_

DavyD_83 wrote: »

(Insert random flier senders) would claim it's in your best interest to receive their fliers too, they contain prices and phone numbers :rolleyes:. I disagree. If i wanted it I'd go get it or ask for it.

It's the same thing, except politicians aren't after our money directly.

Nah, I don't think you are comparing like with like. These people are trying to "sell" you policies that will benefit you in some way. IMO, everyone should vote, and this is one way of taking in some of the information. There are plenty of other outlets to get it from too, but this can't be any harm.

It's very different to other fliers.

peckerhead

DavyD_83 wrote: »

If it's addressed and posted to me then it's a maybe

Absolutely not. If possible, it pisses me off even more than the trash coming manually through my letterbox that postcard fliers for candidates from a range of parties have been posted in quadruplicate, at my/our expense to the four members of my family.

I resent local businesses trying to hard sell me their products and services in this manner. How much more do you think I resent the self-serving ***** of politicians that want me to vote them into power?

Hail 2 Da Thief

Anything which isn't delivered by the postman is junk mail imo. So yes, election material is junk mail.
The amount of money wasted on leaflets during election campaigns must be colossal.

mudokon

Hail 2 Da Thief wrote: »

Anything which isn't delivered by the postman is junk mail imo. So yes, election material is junk mail.
The amount of money wasted on leaflets during election campaigns must be colossal.

My postman delivers junk mail too on top of the bills which I don't particularly want either.

KM88

Killer Pigeon wrote: »

Generally, I knock on the door and if nobody answers it I put in a leaflet that says "Sorry I missed you" and also contains the names of the candidate(s) in the local area, there policies and what they have done already for the local area.

We're talking General Election here (I think?).

What has "what they have already done for the local area" to do with it? I have local councillors for that.

I want my TD focussed on what is good for the country and to tell me what he has done, or will do, for the country. Likewise, I won't ask my local council candidate to sort out the EU/IMF, the HSE or the taxation system.

Incidentally, that's also why I don't ask my mechanic to give me an ECG while he's doing a diagnostic scan on my car. That's not his job, it's not what he's qualified for, it's not what I pay him for or what I think he's likely to be good at.

Stinicker

Only the Fianna Fail and Green party propaganda.

Cheap Thrills!

It is 100% junk mail KP.

I do not depend on a leaflet to make up my mind who to vote for.

On point of principle it all goes directly into the GREEN BIN.

It's all a disgraceful waste of paper and ink. :mad:

Son Of A Vidic

OP - You should have provided the option in your poll for ar$e wiper.

KM88

Killer Pigeon wrote: »

Well many candidates are or were councilors too. Basically they're just showing their track record and experience as a public representative up to now. Also, T.D.'s do have an obligation to fulfill in their local constituency (after all they are representative of their constituency) as well as nationally. The job of a T.D. is not all about prancing around the chambers of the Oireachtas and remaining absent from the affairs and concerns of their community. If a constituent has something they want to raise nationally they can go to their local T.D. to bring the issue forward to the Oireachtas if they want.

Do you have a point to make?

baltimore sun

I fail to see the point in election posters, flyers etc. Surely to jaysus a colourful piece of glossy paper won't make your mind up on who to vote for.

Mike 1972

Aodan83 wrote: »

As long as it's informative and not just a flyer saying "Vote for me" with a picture and a name, I'm not too bothered.

Or pointless trivia such as Johnny Bollix has lived in Ballygobackwards since 1982 attended Scumhole street secondary school and is married with 3.14159 kids

Or meaningless drivel such as Johnny Bollix wants better health services and something done about crime

Or a picture of a ballot paper with a 1 beside Johnny Bollix's name (insulting the voters intelligence -great strategy)

rubadub

Killer Pigeon wrote: »

If there is a "No election material" sign then of course I would respect the recidents' wishes.

thats crazy logic TBH, like the other poster said you will see lads saying "well it didn't specifically say no pizza vouchers, I bet some people want them". If you are not the postman or deliveryman for something I ordered then get the hell off my property. Its a disgusting waste of time & energy and paper.

Dermighty wrote: »

I do think that there is a general sense of forgetfulness when it comes to the post elections collections and responsibility regarding cleaning up the posters and fliers.

And a forgetfulness of the LAW in dun laoghaire rathdown, let alone the clean up, the ones going up are more often than not legal. I emailed most of the greens 2 years ago about their ILLEGAL election posters, only one replied, and almost every single poster I see of his this year is also illegal and classed as litter, never mind being a danger to how the likes of the emergency services can operate etc. A right crowd of hypocritical cunts. There are still posters littered on the N11 since 2009, its a bloody disgrace what they get away with. Ignorance is no defence of the law, they should all be prosecuted, but ideally they should not do it in the first place, it should be outlawed if the fools cannot manage to put up a poster with an ounce of consideration.

Labour are by far the worst, I think I have only spotted 2 legal ones, and the main ugly bitch whos face is up has apparently got vast experience of the law.

Duggy747 wrote: »

They make for great fuel in the fireplace.

A lad in the US signs up to junk mail, he gets loads delivered and uses it to fuel his burner, free fuel all year round, postman probably has a knackered back though!

Aoifey!

I regard "Junk Mail" as mail I have not asked for and do not want, so yes it is junk mail.