Election Posters Yes or No?

mike65

I'm sure many here are already sick of the sight of posters that have popped up in recent weeks, apart from being an eyesore it seem in this weather they are positivly harmfull
as drivers are blinded by falling posters, or commuters are struck in the head by them! Someone is in real danger of either being killed or ending up in court....

So do we need them, did anyone ever gain a single vote through thier presence or are they simply another way of despoilling the environment?

Mike.

stereo_steve

I must say I feel strongly on the subject! I can't stand them. They really wreck the area in which I live. I don't think they encourage people vote. Also I think it is really comical the way the green party do it aswell. They also leave them them up for months after the election!

I think there should be a law passed preventing parties from putting up billboards and posters.

Victor

Originally posted by stereo_steve
I think there should be a law passed preventing parties from putting up billboards and posters.

I don't mind bill boards per se, it's the ones on public property that are the big problem (should that be declared as a BIK when it comes to filling out election expenses?)

dahamsta

I was only thinking about this yesterday, because The Mammy was complaining about them. I agree that they're annoying, but there's also something to be said for them, in that they even up the odds a little for the guys who mightn't be able to get the financial support of the big boys. Of course, some might say that if the candidates were any good, they'd be able to get the moolah, but with politicians and corporations cosying up to each other so much these days, that mightn't be an entirely valid argument. So when I weighed it all up, I decided that I don't have a problem with it, as long as there are strict rules about cleaning them up later.

There, see, I actually /thought/ about something! Vote Dahamsta!

One thing I did notice is that the candidates who obviously aren't getting the same kind of financial backing - the fringe guys, the independents, etc - have frankly /sucky/ posters. Ewww!

adam

sceptre

Coming back into town from UL today (after handing in my 26-page-typed-in-four-hours auditing report on AOL Time Warner:D), I noticed Willie O'Dea has a poster on every single lamppost between UL and town (about 3 miles). Now that's a lot of posters.

I suppose I can see the point from the independent candidates' points of view - it's a way to get their name in your mind in some way. For the main candidates it doesn't work for me (in the case of WIllie O'Dea, I'm perfectly aware that Limerick's best Groucho impressionist is rerunning for the Dail - plus my GF can't be convinced that the moustache is actually real)

Annoying is what they are.

Victor

I'm really tempted to put "WHO?" over the name on the posters of the local minister for state. I don't think many will recognise him.

mike65

Originally posted by sceptre
in the case of WIllie O'Dea, I'm perfectly aware that Limerick's best Groucho impressionist is rerunning for the Dail - plus my GF can't be convinced that the moustache is actually real

I was in Limerick yesterday driving from Ennis Road past
the Limerick Tech and spotted about 15 posters, the thought struck me, how do you deface a poster of O'Dea, after all
he already sports daft moustache and glasses!

Mike.

billy the squid

did anyone hear liveline today where they were talking about election posters which were not secured onto lamposts properly nd were falling onto cars below?

I think they are a wast of space nd possibly lethal get rid of em

Yoda

In Camden Street the Sinn Féin candidate Dáithi something-or-other had his posters up two weeks before the election was called. What a boob. There's irony in some of the posters though. Bertie's angelic little pose above "A lot done. More to do." makes me laugh every time. "A lot botched and undone. Sack us." would be more like it.

Dahamsta's point is valid, but I don't like the waste and I don't like the filthy little plastic tie thingies that they leave on the lampposts for a year either.

DiscoStu

I noticed Willie O'Dea has a poster on every single lamppost between UL and town (about 3 miles). Now that's a lot of posters

take a look at the n4 heading into dublin city. all i see from the bus every morning is berties smug face all the way from lucan to town.

Stephen

seamus

roffle. pld munch.

I think bubbles's tagline will have him elected in no time

DMC

Kev in a suit... oh dear....

Posters, yes....

Now that candidate's pictures appears on the ballot paper, I think posters and bill boards aid democracy, in its wee form. Yes, there could be the argument of going down the personalities road...... but sometimes you cant forget a face! Like Brendan Smith in Cavan/Monaghan, Johnny Brady in Meath and Joe Costello in Dublin Central (his posters look truly awful!) but in Dublin North Central, Deirdre Heney gets my vote Foxy!*

Damien.

* if elections went on looks alone...

Xterminator

I think that on private property, eg peoples houses, and billboards etc, the posters are fine.

But on public property, such as lamposts and railings of schools etc, I dont like to see them posted there, as so many become litter.

X

Our man in Havana

I used to work in ESB and at the 97 election, I was ordered to remove all posters that were on ESB poles.Best week of fun I ever had:D
It is against the law to place posters on ESB poles, also its dangerous.

Mailman

In bringing democracy to the people Posters are a necessary evil.

They are a cheap way of reaching the public.

If they weren't allowed then only the wealthiest parties could afford to use the media to get to people.

Elections are no fun for the smaller political parties. They are lucky if they've got €5000 to run a campaign on in each constituency whereas the larger political parties can spend to the limit confident that most of the candidates they field will be elected and they'll get their expenses reimbursed on each candidate elected.

If you ban posters then only those parties who can afford billboards and benefit from media exposure country wide can develop a brand that people will vote for.
I'm sure most of you don't want to vote by 'Brand name'.
Most independent public representatives don't get coverage on national television or interviewed by the press. Publicity stunts like guest presenting Football programs don't come the way of your common or garden public representatives.

Even with the electoral post you are looking at a cost of €2000 to get leaflets printed for an average sized constituency.

All the good work a local councillor seeking election might have done for years before an election are forgotten when the big guns come rolling into town for an hour or two before the election.

Mossy Monk

they are an eyesore. hasn't a town in Cork banned them. hurrah for them and boo-hiss for all politicians and their stupid posters :mad: :mad: