Vote counting: the ultimate gravy train

Maid of the Mist

For the last 20 years that I've been voting, it has always been the same bug-eyed faces working at the polling stations on election day...bored housewives, the children of the local gombeen, and the neighbourhood busybodies who weasel themselves onto every community committee.

Nobody else even gets a look-in for these jobs. The positions are filled even before they're announced. Hundreds of thousands unemployed in this country and it's still the well-connected with their snouts in the trough. Nice wages if you can get them.

comongethappy

There is no more closed shop than vote counting.

rotun

Fűck it, that's what the Eurovision is all about

Karl Stein

Cool story. Maybe you should start a blog so that you can be more easily ignored.

Mr. Incognito

Yeah. They really clean up every four years.

They must spend the intervening time on tropical islands sipping piña coladas and getting blown by unicorns.

suicide_circus

Karl Stein wrote: »

Cool story. Maybe you should start a blog so that you can be more easily ignored.

Why the **** are you posting in the thread?

Maid of the Mist

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

Yeah. They really clean up every four years.

Except we have elections and referenda more frequently than every four years.
General elections, by-elections, Euro elections, local elections...

strobe

Maid of the Mist wrote: »

Nice wages if you can get them.

How much do they get paid?

pablomakaveli

How much do people get paid for vote counting anyway?

suicide_circus

Like most things in this country, vote counters are chosen on a nod/wink I knew your father basis.

vicwatson

pablomakaveli wrote: »

How much do people get paid for vote counting anyway?

A lot, and tax free afaik

Mycroft H

strobe wrote: »

How much do they get paid?

Mate of mine made 210 euro as a polling clerk on Friday and another 45 euro to attend a polling officers training evening in case he had to back up the main one.

Richard Hillman

Maid of the Mist wrote: »

Nobody else even gets a look-in for these jobs. The positions are filled even before they're announced. Hundreds of thousands unemployed in this country and it's still the well-connected with their snouts in the trough. Nice wages if you can get them.

So you want to get rid of all the trusted vote counters and administrators and swap them for people on the dole? Are you for effing real?

suicide_circus

Mycroft H wrote: »

Mate of mine made 210 euro as a polling clerk on Friday and another 45 euro to attend a polling officers training evening in case he had to back up the main one.

Where was the job advertised?

Muise...

Yeah, let's get them all on some Jobbridge latchico scheme - that'll keep our democracy running smoothly!

suicide_circus

Richard Hillman wrote: »

So you want to get rid of all the trusted vote counters and administrators and swap them for people on the dole? Are you for effing real?

Trusted by whom?

astonaidan

Im not sure how they get selected elsewhere, but the two who do it out our way inherited it from there fathers, one is a nosey hag who also works in the Post Office. The other just a housewife but not the sort who cares about peoples business

My name is URL

comongethappy wrote: »

There is no more closed shop than vote counting.

That and supervising state exams.

dj jarvis

suicide_circus wrote: »

Where was the job advertised?

they said on Newstalk today that the positions were filled by civil servants ,
is this correct ?

I am pie

Richard Hillman wrote: »

So you want to get rid of all the trusted vote counters and administrators and swap them for people on the dole? Are you for effing real?

Yeah, why not? Verified counts, appropriate checks against fraud, yeah. No pay if your count is off.

Why the actual fck not? Or are you saying no system can be devised to ensure accuracy and the only people we can trust in Ireland are the friends and associate of politicians...fcking politicians like?

Same question to you!...are YOU for real?

suicide_circus

I am pie wrote: »

Yeah, why not? Verified counts, appropriate checks against fraud, yeah. No pay if your count is off.

Why the actual fck not? Or are you saying no system can be devised to ensure accuracy and the only people we can trust in Ireland are the friends and associate of politicians...fcking politicians like?

Same question to you!...are YOU for real?

+1 million

Mycroft H

suicide_circus wrote: »

Where was the job advertised?

It's not advertised; you've to express interest to your local county returning officer. Candidates are picked from those who have applied. It's not tax free either. If you've the tax credits you'll pay no PAYE but you'll pay USC etc.

circadian

My name is URL wrote: »

That and supervising state exams.

I supervised a few GCSE exams when I was finishing my A-Levels, easy money and I think it was £30 an hour or some other ridiculous sum.

Mycroft H

dj jarvis wrote: »

they said on Newstalk today that the positions were filled by civil servants ,
is this correct ?

Dunno about the counters but my mate who was the polling clerk is a trainee accountant. Not a civil servant

Muise...

I am pie wrote: »

Yeah, why not? Verified counts, appropriate checks against fraud, yeah. No pay if your count is off.

Why the actual fck not? Or are you saying no system can be devised to ensure accuracy and the only people we can trust in Ireland are the friends and associate of politicians...fcking politicians like?

Same question to you!...are YOU for real?

No, I think Richard was saying that it would be ridiculous to thrown out experienced people who were vetted and deemed to be qualified in favour of recruiting and training people for an extremely infrequent job.

I applied to work at my local polling station. You write to the local court and as long as you aren't a member of a political party, you'll be considered. I wouldn't expect them to take me on until one of their usual clerks drops out (or dies, as is usually the case), because it would be daft to favour me over someone who has done it before and knows the ropes. I presume it's the same with counting, only with way more vetting and thus way more expense.

Chucken

Maid of the Mist wrote: »

For the last 20 years that I've been voting, it has always been the same bug-eyed faces working at the polling stations on election day...bored housewives, the children of the local gombeen, and the neighbourhood busybodies who weasel themselves onto every community committee.

Nobody else even gets a look-in for these jobs. The positions are filled even before they're announced. Hundreds of thousands unemployed in this country and it's still the well-connected with their snouts in the trough. Nice wages if you can get them.

If this has been an issue for you for 20 years,why haven't you tried a bit harder to find out about how to get the job?

A neighbour of mine did it this year (Polling clerk). He's just finished a TUS scheme and one of the most unpolitical people I've ever met.

Maid of the Mist

Maid of the Mist wrote: »

For the last 20 years that I've been voting, it has always been the same bug-eyed faces working at the polling stations on election day...bored housewives, the children of the local gombeen, and the neighbourhood busybodies who weasel themselves onto every community committee.

Nobody else even gets a look-in for these jobs. The positions are filled even before they're announced. Hundreds of thousands unemployed in this country and it's still the well-connected with their snouts in the trough. Nice wages if you can get them.

What a bitter post its a day or two every other year not running the world bank

dj jarvis

Mycroft H wrote: »

Dunno about the counters but my mate who was the polling clerk is a trainee accountant. Not a civil servant

must not be true so , thanks !!!

poxy ex politician spoofing - why am i not surprised

Muise...

suicide_circus wrote: »

Trusted by whom?

The returning officers who vetted, trained and hired them. It's up to you whether you trust these people or not, but you'll end up with no democracy at all if you're going to cast suspicion on every cog in the wheel.

Nodster

http://www.dublincountyreturningofficer.com/

see Work Applications

Mahogany Gaspipe

A strong armed Dictator is what this country needs, it would put full stop to the endless daily bolloxing I've to put up with.

FrStone

Maid of the Mist wrote: »

For the last 20 years that I've been voting, it has always been the same bug-eyed faces working at the polling stations on election day...bored housewives, the children of the local gombeen, and the neighbourhood busybodies who weasel themselves onto every community committee.

Nobody else even gets a look-in for these jobs. The positions are filled even before they're announced. Hundreds of thousands unemployed in this country and it's still the well-connected with their snouts in the trough. Nice wages if you can get them.

There is open competition for these jobs. Your obviously too lazy to look. http://www.dublincityreturningofficer.com/

Those on the dole wouldn't come off it for one day work, they also would probably be the first harping on about their rights when they have to work for 16.5 hours.

Chucken

FrStone wrote: »

There is open competition for these jobs. Your obviously too lazy to look. http://www.dublincityreturningofficer.com/

Those on the dole wouldn't come off it for one day work, they also would probably be the first harping on about their rights when they have to work for 16.5 hours.

What kind of sh1te talk is that?

FrStone

Chucken wrote: »

What kind of sh1te talk is that?

Well I've often told friends of mine on the dole to apply for the job. I'm always met with the same response "Sure I couldn't come off the dole for one days work - too much hassle".

Muise...

FrStone wrote: »

There is open competition for these jobs. Your obviously too lazy to look. http://www.dublincityreturningofficer.com/

Those on the dole wouldn't come off it for one day work, they also would probably be the first harping on about their rights when they have to work for 16.5 hours.

Agree with your first point.

Your second, ahem - I was on the dole when I applied. I don't think you considered how fcuking soul-destroying it is to be unemployed. You feel like you are no use to anyone. A day at the polling station would have been well worth the paperwork of signing off and on again as it would have been work, and work as directly contributing to society as can be.

I still don't think it should turn into a jobbridge thing - not at all. It annoys the hell out of me that some people seem to think the unemployed are their fantasy army, to be deployed at their whim, since "we pay their wages".

Nodster

Was posted on boards last April

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056063048&page=9

Chucken

FrStone wrote: »

Well I've often told friends of mine on the dole to apply for the job. I'm always met with the same response "Sure I couldn't come off the dole for one days work - too much hassle".

That's your friends.

If you read my previous post, I mentioned a neighbour who did it, straight off a TUS scheme. Obviously he had to sign on again. He was delighted to get a days work, so stop with the "lazy feckers on the dole" attitude.

spurious

I hear they get free prams.

Red Kev

Maid of the Mist wrote: »

For the last 20 years that I've been voting, it has always been the same bug-eyed faces working at the polling stations on election day...bored housewives, the children of the local gombeen, and the neighbourhood busybodies who weasel themselves onto every community committee.

Nobody else even gets a look-in for these jobs. The positions are filled even before they're announced. Hundreds of thousands unemployed in this country and it's still the well-connected with their snouts in the trough. Nice wages if you can get them.

comongethappy wrote: »

There is no more closed shop than vote counting.

suicide_circus wrote: »

Like most things in this country, vote counters are chosen on a nod/wink I knew your father basis.

I have worked at 4 previous elections as a poll clerk, and this one just gone as a presiding officer, which is the person in charge of a table (not the station as a whole).

I was on the dole for a few months in 2009 and I applied for the job through the returning officer of Dublin City, who is the Sheriff; the office is in Foynes St. I sent in an email expressing an interest, got a phone call where I was asked a few questions about my affiliation to any candidates and my general health and a few weeks later I was asked to show up at a polling station at 6.30 am.

I have no connection to any politicians or civil servants, I didn't even tell anybody I applied as I was applying to do a fair few jobs at the time.

From talking to the other people who I have worked with in polling stations, one out of 12 is a public servant, theo others are unemployed or work at other jobs, maybe 4 are housewives, one was a househusband IIRC.

Incidentally this year they seemed to be a bit stuck for poll clerks as they roped a public servant into the job, he had last done this 8 years ago and didn't like it. They rang him to do the count on Saturday and he was pretty p1ssed off that he had to do that. It's a boring job to be honest.

I worked as a polling clerk (the "junior" person at the table) and this time became the head of the table. I probably get more money but I'm responsible for the table and can have my wages docked if it's not 100%. I can also be personally sued by a member of the public if I mess up their vote etc. So no, it's not that much of a free ride.

You can't leave the table except to got to the toilet, and have a quick cup of tea, anything more than a 10 minute break is frowned on.

Anyway, sorry to pee on the conspiracy theories but I got the job with no connections and there are plenty of others in the same situation. There was a woman in our station in her 40's who has been doing it since she was a student, she still does it to keep her name in the hat, if you leave you essentially start from scratch again, but as others have said, just contact your returning officer for your constituency to see what the procedure is for the next election.

pablomakaveli wrote: »

How much do people get paid for vote counting anyway?

vicwatson wrote: »

A lot, and tax free afaik

Self employed now, I got €260 last time out as a poll clerk after USC but have to declare it at the end of the year, so take tax off that. Nearly 17 hours, so 8 hours standard and 8.5 hours at time and a half overtime gives a rate of around €12.50 before tax.

dj jarvis wrote: »

they said on Newstalk today that the positions were filled by civil servants ,
is this correct ?

Bullsh1t. That's Newstalk gone down a bit further in my estimation. A 5 minute research would have proven that to be crap.

spurious wrote: »

I hear they get free prams.

Yes, we get a free pram each, they cost €1000 in Mothercare. But on the way home the bus driver said I can't take it on the bus so I left it at the bus stop.

Barely There

vicwatson wrote: »

A lot, and tax free afaik

Wow, that does sound like a lot of money.

D1stant

Red Kev wrote: »

I have worked at 4 previous elections as a poll clerk, and this one just gone as a presiding officer, which is the person in charge of a table (not the station as a whole).

LOL. Pure Father Ted

Great post by the way

uck51js9zml2yt

To clear up the ignorance of certain posters regarding these jobs.

To declare my interest. I've worked at the counts for the last 3 referenda and as a polling clerk last friday and again on the European count yesterday.
I'm also unemployed.

Each time I applied to the Dublin City Sheriff declaring my interest in working at these events and providing my detaails

Its not tax free and I also pay PRSI and USC.

The polling involved me sitting from 7 am to 10 pm at a desk without the ability to leave the centre for the duration.

Working at the count yesterday, I was in at 8 am and finished at 4 am on Monday morning.

Each time I do it there are regulars who a needed as they have significant experience in dealing with the complex process and there are also a lot of new people who have applied and been successful in their application.

If your finished griping about those of us prepared to work 20 hours shifts and still need to be accurate when we are falling over with exhaustion all you need to do is apply to the sheriff when the next election or referendum is announced.

My niece applied the last 4 times and was successful this time and worked as a polling clerk. She said it was the most boring job she had ever done.


So at anyone still saying its a conspiracy needs to move their gripes over to here

Eurovisionmad

Maid of the Mist wrote: »

For the last 20 years that I've been voting, it has always been the same bug-eyed faces working at the polling stations on election day...bored housewives, the children of the local gombeen, and the neighbourhood busybodies who weasel themselves onto every community committee.

Nobody else even gets a look-in for these jobs. The positions are filled even before they're announced. Hundreds of thousands unemployed in this country and it's still the well-connected with their snouts in the trough. Nice wages if you can get them.

If they've already competent at the job why throw in the local scumbags who can barely count, you can apply for the vacancies but why fix what's not broken?

Chucken

Eurovisionmad wrote: »

If they've already competent at the job why throw in the local scumbags who can barely count, you can apply for the vacancies but why fix what's not broken?

Thousands of unemployed people= scumbags?

Don't start.

Thanks.

3DataModem

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

Yeah. They really clean up every four years.

They must spend the intervening time on tropical islands sipping piña coladas and getting blown by unicorns.

Read item #6

http://www.cracked.com/article_21189_the-6-most-horrifying-sex-scenes-in-fan-fiction-pt.-4.html

You are welcome, sir.

two wheels good

vicwatson wrote: »

A lot, and tax free afaik

Certainly not tax-free.
Polling clerk: approx 200Euro .. for a 15 hour day.

Snakeweasel

When I was polling clerk for a referendum I was paid 400 for the day, 14 people voted, I got taxed to the eyeballs but was able to claim it all back. I got it through my neighbour who is a civil servant and has been doing polling stations and vote counting my entire life.

Meathlass

My name is URL wrote: »

That and supervising state exams.

That's advertised every year in papers.

Mint Sauce

Ronin Breezy Spice wrote: »

To clear up the ignorance of certain posters regarding these jobs.

To declare my interest. I've worked at the counts for the last 3 referenda and as a polling clerk last friday and again on the European count yesterday.
I'm also unemployed.

Each time I applied to the Dublin City Sheriff declaring my interest in working at these events and providing my detaails

Its not tax free and I also pay PRSI and USC.

The polling involved me sitting from 7 am to 10 pm at a desk without the ability to leave the centre for the duration.

Working at the count yesterday, I was in at 8 am and finished at 4 am on Monday morning.

Each time I do it there are regulars who a needed as they have significant experience in dealing with the complex process and there are also a lot of new people who have applied and been successful in their application.

If your finished griping about those of us prepared to work 20 hours shifts and still need to be accurate when we are falling over with exhaustion all you need to do is apply to the sheriff when the next election or referendum is announced.

My niece applied the last 4 times and was successful this time and worked as a polling clerk. She said it was the most boring job she had ever done.


So at anyone still saying its a conspiracy needs to move their gripes over to here

I'd like to add to this if I may.

I applied for a position as a polling clerk during the elections about 4 years ago, was also there about 20-30 minutes before and after the polls opened/closed to help set up and return the hall to its prior state.

A few of the voters who came in commented that it was all new faces manning the centre, 3 booths, 6 staff. Its was also my pollong centre for 6 years, and at polling days afterwards, I only recognised one or two of the faces.

I was on the dole (JSB) at the time. I did not have to sign off and re apply, simply told them I had one days work, showed them my letter from the returning officer, and they deducted my benifit for that week only accordingly.

I paid my tax, and PRSI, got my P60 at the end of the year, and also got a P45, and a letter to say that if I wanted the role next time, would have to re apply, as they were prioritising the role to the unemployed, with a number of limited roles being kept for experienced clerks, who too, still had to reapply.

Think that helps to further dispel a few of the myths being bought up.