Canvasing GE16

martinn123

So with the Election about to be called, has anyone in DCN had a candidate call to their door yet.

I live in a Rural area, not quite out in the sticks, only a mile from the centre of Lusk, and in 20 yrs only had one candidate call to me, and that was for a Co Council Election

I'm not complaining but do the candidates only concentrate on the housing estates.

I have 4 votes in the house, so it could be worth someones time to visit where I live.

So post here if you get a visit, and state, what area you are in, Rural, or Urban.

The Hill Billy

Rural myself & never had a candidate call in 11 years. I had 2 evangelists call yesterday. They were sent packing just as fast as most candidates would.

martinn123

Evangelists, I would say they are in favour of Water Charges, turn it all into Wine, might vote for them myself.

The Hill Billy

Maybe they were Anti-Austerity canvassers. They wanted to know if I thought the suffering would ever end. "Probably not," says I.

Elemonator

James Reilly WAS good with the house calls. But other than that no.

However I do get harassed by left wingers at Skerries train station all the time during referendum season.


EDIT: Apologies mods, don't know what is causing double posts.

jwwb

Getting leaflet drops. No canvassers but have a do not disturb sign beside the doorbell to ward off chuggers etc

Dizzyblonde

I'm in Swords and I haven't seen a canvasser yet. I have one of Louise O'Reilly's posters in the garden though, it blew off a lamppost in the storm.

koutoubia

Sat early afternoon.
Only back in from a morning of hard cycling and still in my cycling kit.Crash hat an all!
DING DONG...
As I was right beside the door I answered.
Green Party canvassers. Saw the bike and the state of me. All I got was 'cycle,cycle,cycle'
The the candidate saw me and ran up the driveway. Shook my hand and before he started I piped in 'Sorry lads. I am starting to get cold so I better go.Thanks anyway' and off they went.

Yesterday evening in the lashing wind and rain canvassers for Tony Murphy.

Live in Balrothery.

The Black Oil

It must be great to have the money to spend on a 20+ page colour brochure. FF's Darragh O' Brien, I'm looking at you.

kennyb3

The question is do you want them to call?

What are they going to say that's really going to change your mind?

I've had calls from a couple of 'helpers' in the last couple of weeks but not the candidates themselves.

I know how I'll vote - it's a general election not a local election so I've no intention of telling them I want XYZ done so they can tell me 'oh yeah....'

It's as simple as voting for the party that's going to best manage the overall economy in my mind - that's what's going to keep me in a job, affect my payslip, my kids prospects etc. And ultimately whoever can produce the best fiscal figures will in turn lead to schools being built, road upgrades etc.

That's my own (very personal) 2c, not for everyone of course.

LeoB

I know how I will be voting but do hope a few call. Not really into bashing them as such but some of them are so far out of touch it is scary.

It is important to remember it is a national election and local issues are not thing to get involved in an debate about. Its the hospitals and health service, PAYE, U.S.C, Policing, housing, that are key items.

cd07

Elemonator wrote:

James Reilly WAS good with the house calls. But other than that no.

He was and still is a profiteering gangster. Trust me!

dslamjack

Brendan Ryan was around in Lusk earlier ,a gentleman like his brother Sean,solid hard working Td in my book.

tobsey

Darragh O'Brien had a crowd going around Kinsealy last night. I'm not sure if he was with him. The SF candidate (Louise?) called last autumn, probably in case the November election was called.

The Hill Billy

Posters are expected to conduct themselves in a civil manner in the forum. Any derogatory or uncivil comments about candidates or canvassers will not be tolerated.

tHB

koutoubia

Is the area around polling stations supposed to be free from 'electioneering'.
Just a question that I need answered before I go naming and shaming!


edit: looks like it is only during the hours of voting!

Dizzyblonde

I had a guy canvassing for the Anti Austerity Alliance at the door last night. I wonder what they'll call themselves when the austerity measures are finished

martinn123

As I am unlikely to have anyone call to my door, could someone here please ask a question to the next candidate they see

With all the Election leaflets and assorted rubbish coming through the letter-box, I notice no one is using the Aircode.

I have 4 votes in my house, so we get 4 leaflets from each candidate, and the postage is paid by the tax-payer.
With Aircode this could be reduced to 1, addressed to the Family.

Anyone ?

dslamjack

Now Martin,stop with the logic will ye,at least some employment is being generated for the printer's,an post,the distributor's etc.
Maybe when we're getting charged an arm and a leg for the green bin in July,we might get a grant for the cost of the election literature disposal and for wind blown/discarded poster's(Dizzy above has one,I had 2 at the last election,played outdoor dart's with em,put them in the shed for summer,great for football practise too)great fun for the summer.
Eircode,that came from the same stable as electronic voting,no doubt in a year or two's time the country will be plunged in to another financial crisis in order to pay an indecent amount of money to someone's brother in law(we'll never find out whose)to keep all those Eircode's safe and dry in storage ,till the data protection commissioner rule's that they all be destroyed as an infringement of the native criminal fraternity's right to privacy and like any decent quango without any redress to a people seeking a decent postal service.

Dizzyblonde

I had a problem with a parcel before Christmas, the sender left Swords out of my address and the parcel went to a similar address elsewhere in Dublin despite the Eircode being on it. The nice man in DHL was able to retrieve the parcel for me, and informed me that DHL don't use the Eircodes at all

Bigcheeze

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

I had a problem with a parcel before Christmas, the sender left Swords out of my address and the parcel went to a similar address elsewhere in Dublin despite the Eircode being on it. The nice man in DHL was able to retrieve the parcel for me, and informed me that DHL don't use the Eircodes at all

An post don't use the bloody eircodes, nevermind dhl

koutoubia

I know its a side issue or maybe not but eircode was set up as a database designed to be sold.
Hence that they are random.
If ,say, DHL dont buy the database then Eircode is just a set of numbers.

dslamjack

Originally Posted by Koutoubia -- Is the area around polling stations supposed to be free from 'electioneering'.
Just a question that I need answered before I go naming and shaming!


edit: looks like it is only during the hours of voting!

Koutoubia -- I have been looking at the election rules on the dept of the envoiriment site,I can't see anything about canvassing out side or electioneering out side polling station's.
I thought there was a rule prohibiting canvassing outside the polling station on the day of the count,actually that rule only applies to referenda.... http://www.referendum.ie/political_activity.php

The rules on national elections are here... http://www.environ.ie/en/LocalGovernment/Voting/NationalElections/

Singer

dslamjack wrote: »

Koutoubia -- I have been looking at the election rules on the dept of the envoiriment site,I can't see anything about canvassing out side or electioneering out side polling station's.
I thought there was a rule prohibiting canvassing outside the polling station on the day of the count,actually that rule only applies to referenda.... http://www.referendum.ie/political_activity.php

The rules on national elections are here... http://www.environ.ie/en/LocalGovernment/Voting/NationalElections/

It looks like there are rules prohibiting canvassing in the immediate vicinity - but just within 100 metres:
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1992/act/23/enacted/en/print#sec147

I recall canvassing happening on the way into polling stations when my parents brought me along to vote before the '92 act. Haven't seen the likes of since.

dslamjack

Well it's no wonder they can't find us if their using Eircode,they must have warned each other about me,well if they don't call soon I'll have to go out and canvass them,ya can't even rely on them to do that right.
Actually an old nugget I use is .... O thank God your Alive,I thought you died after the last Election.
Or thank God your safe ,I thought ye had been abducted by fun luvin, rock n roll luvin aliens and probed after the last election.
Another one was .. you're Daddy must have been a magician,the way he taught you to disappear in to thin air after the last election.
They all must be members of the magic circle the way they disappear down my driveway at the speed of light,wonder why that is , it must be me,maybe I'm not being nice enough,but I'm the type of guy that will give you direction's,even though I might't have a clue where you're going.
Ahh well I 'll just keep sitting by the front door waiting,chillin,hangin ....

Dizzyblonde

expectationlost wrote: »

have austerity measures not being hard coded into the european union now?

I haven't a clue - but I wouldn't be surprised.

dslamjack

Had canvasser's From Tony Murphy around last night in Lusk, it was too cold to be too hard on them,I know,I'm getting mellow in me auld age,they were like frosty the snowman,and I did't fancy hypothermia ,but they were very nice now.

dslamjack

This warning note would put the fear of God in canvassers across the country ....A canvasser’s worst nightmare…
Back away from the door –pronto!
It is that time of year when you might get a random visit from a politician to your door, beggin’ for a vote. But the politicians calling to this door might be beggin’ for some relief if it was not for this conscientious note left out for those on the campaign trail.
Full story here ..http://www.breakingnews.ie/discover/this-warning-note-would-put-the-fear-of-god-in-canvassers-across-the-country-721229.html

L1011

martinn123 wrote: »

As I am unlikely to have anyone call to my door, could someone here please ask a question to the next candidate they see

With all the Election leaflets and assorted rubbish coming through the letter-box, I notice no one is using the Aircode.

I have 4 votes in my house, so we get 4 leaflets from each candidate, and the postage is paid by the tax-payer.
With Aircode this could be reduced to 1, addressed to the Family.

Anyone ?

All I get for a multi vote house is one to 'the household'. Unless your registrations are split across boxes this should be the case for everywhere

Dizzyblonde

James Reilly was canvassing on our road this afternoon. A man knocked with a leaflet and had a chat (at this stage so close to the election I don't even tackle them on issues, I'm polite to them all and will vote the way I want to). He asked if I wanted to talk to James but I politely declined, lol.

jwwb

One observation: very little sign of any party running a BIG operation in DubF. Leads me to think that they have all more or less decided that the outcome is pretty much decided and that there is little or nothing to fight for. If there was a seat in the balance I'd expect to see a lot more feet on the ground.

dslamjack

James Reilly was out and about in Lusk canvassing yesterday morning,your wan told me he'd knock himself,so I went to the trouble of psyching my self up ready for the knock,n the bugger skipped our house altogether,he musta remembered the last time,his canvassers were very nice though,still no sign of FF,SF or anybody else,it's no wonder I call Fingal the forgotten county.

jwwb

jwwb wrote: »

One observation: very little sign of any party running a BIG operation in DubF. Leads me to think that they have all more or less decided that the outcome is pretty much decided and that there is little or nothing to fight for. If there was a seat in the balance I'd expect to see a lot more feet on the ground.

Sinn Fein had their party bus in Balbriggan at the weekend. Martin McGuinness was on the canvass. Not sure how long they spent or if there were in other areas in the constituency.

dslamjack

Hav't seen a partymobile since the Back Jack days of Jack Lynch FF.
Hopefully the boul Martin was't dancing to Bowie's dancing in the street's in a bid to out do Big Ger's dancing at the crossroad's the week before.

martinn123

Last Day for canvass, and not one soul has knocked on my door.

Do they not think the more Rural voter is worthy of a chat.

4 votes lads, you have till 7pm, to call.

Dizzyblonde

I'm in Swords and we've only had two canvassers, I don't think they're really bothering apart from shopping centres and other very busy areas.

TheDoc

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

I'm in Swords and I haven't seen a canvasser yet. I have one of Louise O'Reilly's posters in the garden though, it blew off a lamppost in the storm.

Swords myself as well. Had a guy knock on the door looking to yap about Kelleher, told him politely I would never support socialism.

Other then that just leaflets, mountains of leaflets.

Get the feeling because I'm in an area perceived to be predominantly occupied by foreign people, that it's not worth their time canvassing.

Dizzyblonde

I'm in Rivervalley and there have never been so few canvassers.

dslamjack

Yep,its the politics of complacency,they are actually relying on it now I think,once they get in their paid the same whether they bother to turn up or not,or do any work for the few weeks a year,they are required to make an effort and show up in the ''office''.
Look at the bad boy of Tipp north ,Mr Lowry,the worst attendance record in the Dail of all its members,will his pay be docked,like your's or mine if we did't turn up for work,you bet it's not.

TheDoc

dslamjack wrote: »

Yep,its the politics of complacency,they are actually relying on it now I think,once they get in their paid the same whether they bother to turn up or not,or do any work for the few weeks a year,they are required to make an effort and show up in the ''office''.
Look at the bad boy of Tipp north ,Mr Lowry,the worst attendance record in the Dail of all its members,will his pay be docked,like your's or mine if we did't turn up for work,you bet it's not.

Same can be said for Ming, who from what I read a few months back had one of the worst attendance records in Europe.

While he provided reasoning related to family illness, it didn't seem to dawn on him to resign and let the people re-elect someone who will actually attend.

For all the talk from these people focusing on the working class this, lower class that, squeezed middle here, they sure do hang on for dear life to that cushty salary and pension from political service...

dslamjack

Originally posted by the Doc - Same can be said for Ming, who from what I read a few months back had one of the worst attendance records in Europe.

Yaa good auld Ming,totally disappeared off the scene(maybe he was in Amsterdam),he never did get to organise that vote on the legalisation of cannabis or decriminalisation of drugs and the very serious and pressing issues surrounding that whole sorry story of human misery and illicit wealth generated for psychopathic gang's.
Yep that was the biggest disappearing trick since Lord Lucan and Shergar,at least bad Mick is seen to be alive and still causing trouble.
He will probably be back from the lost years in Amsterdam in time for the next election,with an extra pension in his back pocket and with the best intentions of his constituents at heart ... lol

tobsey

I wouldn't be surprised if candidates and their teams are afraid to go out canvassing. There were a lot of threats made on social media about what people would do to party XX when they knocked on the door. There have been enough nasty incidents with rent-a-mobs that they may feel their safety would be at risk.

dslamjack

Originally posted tobsey-- I wouldn't be surprised if candidates and their teams are afraid to go out canvassing. There were a lot of threats made on social media about what people would do to party XX when they knocked on the door. There have been enough nasty incidents with rent-a-mobs that they may feel their safety would be at risk.

There could well be a lot in what you say,and if it is the case and a result of intimidation or the fear of bullying or intimidation,then it will have come to a very sad state of affairs to say the least.

Dizzyblonde

tobsey wrote: »

I wouldn't be surprised if candidates and their teams are afraid to go out canvassing. There were a lot of threats made on social media about what people would do to party XX when they knocked on the door. There have been enough nasty incidents with rent-a-mobs that they may feel their safety would be at risk.

That could be having an effect all right. I wouldn't feel very safe out canvassing if I was a candidate, in the current climate.

For Joan Burton, being trapped in a car by an angry mob must have been terrifying, and for that reason I would never vote for any party that supports mob mentality, no matter how angry we are over austerity measures or new taxes.