Last day to register for seanad voting.

Grayson

The closing date for registering to vote in Seanad elections is today. If you are Irish and a graduate of trinity or an NUI institution you can vote in the Seanad elections (Sorry everyone else). Trinity students can register online.

NUI Graduates can fill out this form
http://www.nui.ie/elections/docs/GradUpdateENG.pdf

and either drop it into the offices on Merrion square or scan it and email it to the NUI (records@nui.ie) by midnight tonight.

Here's a nice article by the Irish Times about it: https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/nui-and-trinity-graduates-could-storm-some-barricades-if-they-register-to-vote-now-1.3804875
Here's the NUI page about it: http://www.nui.ie/elections/seanad-register.asp
Here's the trinity page where trinity students can register: https://www.tcd.ie/academicregistry/graduation/seanad-eireann/

This being AH I'm sure there will be a long and educational discussion about electoral reform. Or it'll descend into rabble rousing.

Either way, if you are eligible you should register. Otherwise you're wasting your vote.

1874

Whats the vote for? only certain people can vote??
reading that, unless Im misinterpreting it, that seems a bit undemocratic

Oust Ronan Mullen.

Register today.

klaaaz

https://www.thejournal.ie/how-does-the-seanad-election-work-2678508-Mar2016/

It’s estimated that around 53,000 people are eligible to vote for the Trinity panel and 110,000 people are eligible to vote for the NUI panel.

Considering about 3.2m can vote in the general election and some of those grads who have the vote probably emigrated over the years, the Seanad whereby a tiny tiny number have the right to vote for it, the Seanad is really an undemocratic institution. No wonder the general public have zero interest in it.

Turnout hasn’t been great in recent times. In 2011, 33,831 people voted in the NUI election or around a third of the eligible voters. In the Trinity election the turnout was 15,557 or 29% of those eligible to vote. Often graduates may have changed addresses from their student days, or emigrated. There’s also a high proportion who probably don’t care that much.

RobbieTheRobber

klaaaz wrote: »

https://www.thejournal.ie/how-does-the-seanad-election-work-2678508-Mar2016/

Considering about 3.2m can vote in the general election and some of those grads who have the vote probably emigrated over the years, the Seanad whereby a tiny tiny number have the right to vote for it, the Seanad is really an undemocratic institution. No wonder the general public have zero interest in it.

Didn't the public vote to keep the seanad?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirty-second_Amendment_of_the_Constitution_Bill_2013

FTA69

Absolutely outdated, undemocratic and frankly snobbish institution that should have been scrapped. The idea that you’re better informed to vote or exercise franchise because you’ve got a degree from UCC is utter b*llocks.

RobbieTheRobber

FTA69 wrote: »

Absolutely outdated, undemocratic and frankly snobbish institution that should have been scrapped. The idea that you’re better informed to vote or exercise franchise because you’ve got a degree from UCC is utter b*llocks.

Dont worry UCC graduates dont get to vote for the seanad.

Seth Brundle

FTA69 wrote: »

Absolutely outdated, undemocratic and frankly snobbish institution that should have been scrapped. The idea that you’re better informed to vote or exercise franchise because you’ve got a degree from UCC is utter b*llocks.

It may be outdated, undemocratic and frankly snobbish but the opinion polls did say that electorate wanted to reform it than remove it. We just have not been offered the option to reform it.

kneemos

They might have a point.

I mean look what happens when the public get to vote,personal interests take precedent over the national good.

JohnnyFlash

RobbieTheRobber wrote: »

Dont worry UCC graduates dont get to vote for the seanad.

Yes they do. Through the NUI panel. Now the debate on whether Cork people should have a vote at all is for another day and another thread.

dudara

RobbieTheRobber wrote:

Dont worry UCC graduates dont get to vote for the seanad.

Yes, we do, through the NUI panel.

Graduates who are eligible to vote in Seanad Elections need to get registered and actually use their vote.

IMO, the likes of Ronán Mullen in the Seanad do not represent me, and I think he’s a waste of space, but the only I’ll get him out is to actually exercise my vote.

FTA69

RobbieTheRobber wrote: »

Dont worry UCC graduates dont get to vote for the seanad.

Yes they do.

RobbieTheRobber

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

Yes they do. Through the NUI panel. Now the debate on whether Cork people should have a vote at all is for another day and another thread.

dudara wrote: »

Yes, we do, through the NUI panel.

Graduates who are eligible to vote in Seanad Elections need to get registered and actually use their vote.

IMO, the likes of Ronán Mullen in the Seanad do not represent me, and I think he’s a waste of space, but the only I’ll get him out is to actually exercise my vote.

FTA69 wrote: »

Yes they do.

If only i could have gotten a fourth post in a row telling me this i would have got connect four.

FTA69

RobbieTheRobber wrote: »

If only i could have gotten a fourth post in a row telling me this i would have got connect four.

I was so filled with incandescent rage I just hit the quote button, sorry bud.

Elmo

Grayson wrote: »

The closing date for registering to vote in Seanad elections is today. If you are Irish and a graduate of trinity or an NUI institution you can vote in the Seanad elections (Sorry everyone else). Trinity students can register online.

NUI Graduates can fill out this form
http://www.nui.ie/elections/docs/GradUpdateENG.pdf

and either drop it into the offices on Merrion square or scan it and email it to the NUI (records@nui.ie) by midnight tonight.

Here's a nice article by the Irish Times about it: https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/nui-and-trinity-graduates-could-storm-some-barricades-if-they-register-to-vote-now-1.3804875
Here's the NUI page about it: http://www.nui.ie/elections/seanad-register.asp
Here's the trinity page where trinity students can register: https://www.tcd.ie/academicregistry/graduation/seanad-eireann/

This being AH I'm sure there will be a long and educational discussion about electoral reform. Or it'll descend into rabble rousing.

Either way, if you are eligible you should register. Otherwise you're wasting your vote.

Why is this the last day, no election has been called??? strange.

troyzer

Elmo wrote: »

Why is this the last day, no election has been called??? strange.

It's the cutoff date every year for the annual register.

Elmo

Elmo wrote: »

Why is this the last day, no election has been called??? strange.

it happens every year.

It's especially relevant now as there may be an election beyond the Brexit event-horizon through which all political crises have fallen thus far.

Mortelaro

Is this new?
I've voted in every Seanad election since I graduated from UCD many moons ago including the last one
Are current voters being taken off the list?

dudara

Mortelaro wrote: »

Is this new?
I've voted in every Seanad election since I graduated from UCD many moons ago including the last one
Are current voters being taken off the list?

It happens every year. First off, a lot of graduates don’t register to vote. And those that did register often forget to update their details when they move etc.

Grayson

dudara wrote: »

It happens every year. First off, a lot of graduates don’t register to vote. And those that did register often forget to update their details when they move etc.

yep. So there's a lot of people who are eligible to vote but aren't on the register.

I've been posting this in work and i even printed off a load of forms and handed them around.

For everyone that has said it, I agree it needs reform. You should still register to vote if you're able to.

Mortelaro

dudara wrote: »

It happens every year. First off, a lot of graduates don’t register to vote. And those that did register often forget to update their details when they move etc.

Ah,so I don't need to do it then?
First I saw of it was an email last night from alumni
I'd thought all graduates were automatically registered, but it makes sense that I may have registered moons ago but don't remember
My address hasn't changed

Grayson

FTA69 wrote: »

Absolutely outdated, undemocratic and frankly snobbish institution that should have been scrapped. The idea that you’re better informed to vote or exercise franchise because you’ve got a degree from UCC is utter b*llocks.

I agree, However I'd still like to keep it. Personally I'd like to see the seanad filled with groups that represent the people. Have a seat for certain unions like teachers, nurses etc. have a seat for graduates, one for students too (all elected by votes from the unions members). Give charities a seat and business groups. The seanad could become a place where we elect informed individuals from certain areas who can share their expertise and speak for their area of expertise.

Get rid of all the political appointees. It shouldn't be a consolation prize because you lost your seat in the dail in the last election.

Yamanoto

Not a big fan of Ronán Mullen myself, but I think there's clearly merit in making room for the expression of viewpoints which swim against the prevailing tide.

troyzer

Grayson wrote: »

I agree, However I'd still like to keep it. Personally I'd like to see the seanad filled with groups that represent the people. Have a seat for certain unions like teachers, nurses etc. have a seat for graduates, one for students too (all elected by votes from the unions members). Give charities a seat and business groups. The seanad could become a place where we elect informed individuals from certain areas who can share their expertise and speak for their area of expertise.

Get rid of all the political appointees. It shouldn't be a consolation prize because you lost your seat in the dail in the last election.

Sort of like a permanent citizens assembly? I quite like that idea.

troyzer

Yamanoto wrote: »

Not a big fan of Ronán Mullen myself, but I think there's clearly merit in making room for the expression of viewpoints which swim against the prevailing tide.

That's what the Iona institute are for.

dudara

Yamanoto wrote: »

Not a big fan of Ronán Mullen myself, but I think there's clearly merit in making room for the expression of viewpoints which swim against the prevailing tide.

He doesn’t get room made for him just because he has a particular viewpoint. He stands for election and if enough people vote for him, he gets elected. I disagree with him and I will be using my vote not to elect him.

Grayson

Grayson wrote: »

I agree, However I'd still like to keep it. Personally I'd like to see the seanad filled with groups that represent the people. Have a seat for certain unions like teachers, nurses etc. have a seat for graduates, one for students too (all elected by votes from the unions members). Give charities a seat and business groups. The seanad could become a place where we elect informed individuals from certain areas who can share their expertise and speak for their area of expertise.

Get rid of all the political appointees. It shouldn't be a consolation prize because you lost your seat in the dail in the last election.

That was the original idea in 1937, back when Ireland's economic life only consisted of agriculture and something vaguely called the 'labour' panel.

It would be an ideal forum, also, for giving a voice to Irish emigrants.

It has so much potential as a reformed assembly, but as has been noted, that's no excuse to waste a vote in the mean time.

RobertKK

troyzer wrote: »

That's what the Iona institute are for.

Are they in parliament?

Do we want everyone in parliament to hold similar opinions on everything?
If yes then that is not democracy, because every opinion should be represented, even those we disagree with.

This get rid of Ronan Mullen is simply people arguing for group think.

I don't agree with the socialist party or any of those other far left parties in the Dáil, but it is a positive for our democracy that their voices are heard and not covered up, because people disagree with their politics.

troyzer

RobertKK wrote: »

Are they in parliament?

Do we want everyone in parliament to hold similar opinions on everything?
If yes then that is not democracy, because every opinion should be represented, even those we disagree with.

This get rid of Ronan Mullen is simply people arguing for group think.

I don't agree with the socialist party or any of those other far left parties in the Dáil, but it is a positive for our democracy that their voices are heard and not covered up, because people disagree with their politics.

I don't want to get rid of him for the sake of it. I want his electorate to vote him out and think such extreme theocratic views do not belong in a parliament. But I don't dispute his legitimacy in being there.

Grayson

RobertKK wrote: »

Are they in parliament?

Do we want everyone in parliament to hold similar opinions on everything?
If yes then that is not democracy, because every opinion should be represented, even those we disagree with.

This get rid of Ronan Mullen is simply people arguing for group think.

I don't agree with the socialist party or any of those other far left parties in the Dáil, but it is a positive for our democracy that their voices are heard and not covered up, because people disagree with their politics.

It's the fact that he wouldn't get elected to the dail.

enfant terrible

Seth Brundle wrote: »

It may be outdated, undemocratic and frankly snobbish but the opinion polls did say that electorate wanted to reform it than remove it. We just have not been offered the option to reform it.

Yes we had the chance to scrap it and we missed it.

We're stuck with it now.

Grayson

troyzer wrote: »

Sort of like a permanent citizens assembly? I quite like that idea.

Pretty much. Gather a representative group.

astrofool

No government has ever voted to give less power to themselves, the idea that the Seanad would be reformed and be more than a talking shop of failures and oddballs is ludicrous, as is the idea that it would somehow become a backdoor to power because your favourite party did badly at the Dáil elections.

tritium

Grayson wrote: »

It's the fact that he wouldn't get elected to the dail.

That’s quite often the case for Seanad candidates though, especially the university panel- Ivana Bacik has been rejected many times by the electorate for example. Similarly the nomination process for other seats often sees it used as a consolation prize for failed Dail candidates

troyzer

astrofool wrote: »

No government has ever voted to give less power to themselves, the idea that the Seanad would be reformed and be more than a talking shop of failures and oddballs is ludicrous, as is the idea that it would somehow become a backdoor to power because your favourite party did badly at the Dáil elections.

That isn't true at all. They voted to give the Troika effective control of our economy. They also voted for all of the various EU treaties that passed power to Brussels.

ohnonotgmail

tritium wrote: »

That’s quite often the case for Seanad candidates though, especially the university panel- Ivana Bacik has been rejected many times by the electorate for example. Similarly the nomination process for other seats often sees it used as a consolation prize for failed Dail candidates

She's not really a people person. It was the same when she was Student Uinion President in Trinity back in the day.

buried

Grayson wrote: »

The closing date for registering to vote in Seanad elections is today. If you are Irish and a graduate of trinity or an NUI institution you can vote in the Seanad elections (Sorry everyone else). Trinity students can register online.

Don't worry about it G. The crew up in there are laughing at all of us anyways. Degree or no.

DEFTLEFTHAND

Why can graduates of St Angela's register to vote but I as a grad of UL can't?

Look before anyone starts, I know UL is a poor institution and ranks as one of the worst universities in Europe (if not the world) but St Angela's doesn't even have a ranking.

I know it's connected somehow to NUIG but Jesus Christs lads.

Mr. CooL ICE

How could you not vote for him

Buford T. Justice XIX

Mortelaro wrote: »

Is this new?
I've voted in every Seanad election since I graduated from UCD many moons ago including the last one
Are current voters being taken off the list?

I seem to have missed voting in one election a while back and haven't been sent any voting papers since then despite still being in the same address since I graduated.

I wonder if they remove non voters from the panel after missing a vote?

Capt'n Midnight

RobbieTheRobber wrote: »

Dont worry UCC graduates dont get to vote for the seanad.

NUI can. Remember UCC isn't a full uni :P

UL and DCU can't nor can the IT's new uni.

The Satanist

Mullen should be strapped to a North Korean rocket and fired into the sun.

astrofool

troyzer wrote: »

That isn't true at all. They voted to give the Troika effective control of our economy. They also voted for all of the various EU treaties that passed power to Brussels.

That's not the same at all, or even slightly close, to have the two scenarios conflated is a disrespect to the conflation of any other two items. In those cases the minor loss of power was weighed by lots of money coming in to the government and allowed the country to stay afloat, there is no benefit at all for the government to transfer even an iota of power to the Seanad (and it's utter impotence can be best demonstrated by the government not having a majority there for years, yet it still hasn't been able to have any effect on any decision made by any politician).

Watching spittle fleck from Ronny Mullen is great fun, but probably not worth the cost of running the Seanad all up.

Geuze

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

Why can graduates of St Angela's register to vote but I as a grad of UL can't?

Look before anyone starts, I know UL is a poor institution and ranks as one of the worst universities in Europe (if not the world) but St Angela's doesn't even have a ranking.

I know it's connected somehow to NUIG but Jesus Christs lads.

STACS students are awarded NUI degrees?

Maybe that's the reason.

Geuze

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

NUI can. Remember UCC isn't a full uni :P

UL and DCU can't nor can the IT's new uni.

The Seventh Amendment in 1979 altered the provisions of Article 18.4 to allow for a redistribution of the university seats to any other institutes of higher education in the state, although no change has in fact taken place since then.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seventh_Amendment_of_the_Constitution_of_Ireland

ohnonotgmail

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

She's not really a people person. It was the same when she was Student Uinion President in Trinity back in the day.

what do mean she's not really a people person? Have you ever met her? She's an incredibly warm person (I don't know her, but have met her on occasion), and she has won awards for her skills as a teacher, etc. They don't give that to 'not-people-persons'.

The Rape of Lucretia

FTA69 wrote: »

The idea that you’re better informed to vote or exercise franchise because you’ve got a degree from UCC is utter b*llocks.

You may have a point on UCC specifically, but certainly, people with degrees from the universities are better informed and will vote better than those without. As a general rule. Of course, there are those without them who exercise their vote responsibly and correctly, and those with them who vote vote cranks and the wrong sort. But overall, the principal is correct. Ideally, it would be extended to those with a greater capability to vote well having a greater proportional influence or even extending it to the lower house. But democracy is a touchy subject, and even though it is to their own disadvantage, giving everyone a vote seems to be the only acceptable model in town at the moment.

ohnonotgmail

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

what do mean she's not really a people person? Have you ever met her? She's an incredibly warm person (I don't know her, but have met her on occasion), and she has won awards for her skills as a teacher, etc. They don't give that to 'not-people-persons'.

I have met her thanks. I was a student class rep back when she was student union president.

ohnonotgmail

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

I have met her thanks. I was a student class rep back when she was student union president.

Hardly fair to criticise someone on the Internet based on a perception of them from about 30 years ago when they were a student.

ohnonotgmail

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

Hardly fair to criticise someone on the Internet based on a perception of them from about 30 years ago when they were a student.

It was an observation not a criticism. I mentioned it as it might explain why she has done so poorly at public elections.

troyzer

astrofool wrote: »

troyzer wrote: »

That isn't true at all. They voted to give the Troika effective control of our economy. They also voted for all of the various EU treaties that passed power to Brussels.

That's not the same at all, or even slightly close, to have the two scenarios conflated is a disrespect to the conflation of any other two items. In those cases the minor loss of power was weighed by lots of money coming in to the government and allowed the country to stay afloat, there is no benefit at all for the government to transfer even an iota of power to the Seanad (and it's utter impotence can be best demonstrated by the government not having a majority there for years, yet it still hasn't been able to have any effect on any decision made by any politician).

Watching spittle fleck from Ronny Mullen is great fun, but probably not worth the cost of running the Seanad all up.

Minor loss of power? Most of our laws are written in Brussels who restrict the few powers we do have such as deficit spending. We also have no control over our currency.

I'm not saying these are bad things or that we got nothing in exchange but to suggest that governments are fundamentally opposed to surrendering power is absolutely ludicrous.