Low voter turn out in Dublin

Aongus Von Bismarck · 24-05-2014 01:09PM #1

I often find when I chat to a "tru-blu salt a' de aaiirrth" Dub, that they are the most vocal about how the government are absolutely terrible, how they're all a bunch of cowboys, etc. etc.

In my experience Dubs moan the most about the political issues of the day. However, consistently, in every single election, Dublin registers the lowest voter turnout. Yesterday's was no exception.

Why is that? Are Dubs all talk, but when it actually comes to exercising their political rights, they really don't care all that much?

pablomakaveli · 24-05-2014 01:12PM

Don't European elctions normally get a low turn out anyway? Not that surprising really.

Aongus Von Bismarck · 24-05-2014 01:13PM

pablomakaveli wrote: »

Don't European elctions normally get a low turn out anyway? Not that surprising really.

But Dubs consistently turn out in much lower numbers than the rest of the country, despite their continuous foghorn vocal protests.

Lone Stone · 24-05-2014 01:13PM

Place was packed when i went to vote had to queue up to use a booth.

strobe · 24-05-2014 01:16PM

Because people in Dublin have jobs to do and lives to live whereas people from the country do nothing but sit around petting cows and drinking tea and waiting around for election day so they can stroll down and choose between their next door neighbour or their uncle in terms of who is most likely to get that new cattle grid installed... obviously.

gerard_65 · 24-05-2014 01:21PM

At least we don't elect Lowry or Healy-Rae.

Aongus Von Bismarck · 24-05-2014 01:23PM

gerard_65 wrote: »

At least we don't elect Lowry or Healy-Rae.

Most people don't seem to elect anyone at all. That's my point

24-05-2014 01:25PM

gerard_65 wrote: »

At least we don't elect Lowry or Healy-Rae.

6 candidates ran under the banner "Team Lowry" in Tipp!

Nib · 24-05-2014 01:26PM

strobe wrote: »

Because people in Dublin have jobs to do and lives to live whereas people from the country do nothing but sit around petting cows and drinking tea and waiting around for election day so they can stroll down and choose between their next door neighbour or their uncle in terms of who is most likely to get that new cattle grid installed... obviously.

Says your man with 6,401 posts on and internet discussion site.

Yeah, your life must be non stop.

Rasheed · 24-05-2014 01:27PM

gerard_65 wrote: »

At least we don't elect Lowry or Healy-Rae.

Yeah because Bertie and O Reilly are politicians to be proud of......

Duckworth_Luas · 24-05-2014 01:32PM

I've seen posters for Pat "The Cope" Gallagher in Dublin.

He's running in Midlands/NorthWest?

Gran Hermano · 24-05-2014 01:33PM

Nib wrote: »

Says your man with 6,401 posts on and internet discussion site.

Yeah, your life must be non stop.

Not a massive difference in their number of posts per day since joining and yours.

Mikros · 24-05-2014 01:35PM

I'd imagine because of the more transient nature of the population in Dublin (people moving around a lot more), the electoral registers are way off and as such the % turnout looks worse than it would be if the register was more accurate.

Frosty McSnowballs · 24-05-2014 01:35PM

Nib wrote: »

Says your man with 6,401 posts on and internet discussion site.

Yeah, your life must be non stop.

Ah Nib, what crawled up your ass that you couldn't get out?

You are here too y'know.

Frank Lee Midere · 24-05-2014 01:36PM

Mikros wrote: »

I'd imagine because of the more transient nature of the population in Dublin (people moving around a lot more), the electoral registers are way off and as such the % turnout looks worse than it would be if the register was more accurate.

Very good point.

AlwaysAnyTime · 24-05-2014 01:40PM

Aongus Von Bismarck wrote: »

I often find when I chat to a "tru-blu salt a' de aaiirrth" Dub, that they are the most vocal about how the government are absolutely terrible, how they're all a bunch of cowboys, etc. etc.

In my experience Dubs moan the most about the political issues of the day. However, consistently, in every single election, Dublin registers the lowest voter turnout. Yesterday's was no exception.

Why is that? Are Dubs all talk, but when it actually comes to exercising their political rights, they really don't care all that much?

Any proof of this low voter turnout in Dublin when compared to other counties? A link to some statistics, report, anything? I'm not doubting you, just interested in seeing some evidence.

Lumbo · 24-05-2014 01:41PM

Aongus Von Bismarck wrote: »

Most people don't seem to elect anyone at all. That's my point

I think you'll find that someone is ALWAYS elected.

Jester252 · 24-05-2014 01:44PM

They can't b1tch if they get their way

UCDVet · 24-05-2014 01:44PM

I'm probably wrong, but whenever I walk around the streets of Dublin, I get the distinct impression a very large percentage of the population isn't Irish. In my (admittedly limited) experience, most of them don't seem to know or care about voting. Honestly, I don't even know if they can vote.

Amirani · 24-05-2014 01:45PM

UCDVet wrote: »

I'm probably wrong, but whenever I walk around the streets of Dublin, I get the distinct impression a very large percentage of the population isn't Irish. In my (admittedly limited) experience, most of them don't seem to know or care about voting. Honestly, I don't even know if they can vote.

Anyone living in Ireland can vote in local elections. Only EU citizens in Ireland can vote in European elections.

Aongus Von Bismarck · 24-05-2014 01:46PM

UCDVet wrote: »

I'm probably wrong, but whenever I walk around the streets of Dublin, I get the distinct impression a very large percentage of the population isn't Irish. In my (admittedly limited) experience, most of them don't seem to know or care about voting. Honestly, I don't even know if they can vote.

Anyone who is resident can vote in the local elections. So presumably most of them have a vote. That's a fairly good point.

I live in Germany and I don't give a rats arse who is running in the European election here.

AlwaysAnyTime · 24-05-2014 01:47PM

Diego Simeone wrote: »

Anyone living in Ireland can vote in local elections.

That can't be right is it? Or do you mean anyone with Irish citizenship can vote in local elections. I know a lot of Chinese people (here for less than a year) on student visas who live in Ireland, can they vote ?

Wishiwasa Littlebitaller · 24-05-2014 01:49PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MnELifX3sQ

Aongus Von Bismarck · 24-05-2014 01:51PM

AlwaysAnyTime wrote: »

That can't be right is it? Or do you mean anyone with Irish citizenship can vote in local elections. I know a lot of Chinese people (here for less than a year) on student visas who live in Ireland, can they vote ?

Yep, provided they are legally resident in Ireland, they can vote.

Also, strangely, British citizens here can vote in Dail elections and visa versa for British parliament elctions.

Amirani · 24-05-2014 01:51PM

AlwaysAnyTime wrote: »

That can't be right is it? Or do you mean anyone with Irish citizenship can vote in local elections. I know a lot of Chinese people (here for less than a year) on student visas who live in Ireland, can they vote ?

Yes, they can. Anyone who has legal residency status can vote in local elections, including those on student visas.

General elections are only Irish and British citizens resident in Ireland. Presidency is only Irish citizens resident in Ireland.

24-05-2014 01:55PM

I think what people are getting at is that people who live in Ireland can vote in local elections :P

UCDVet · 24-05-2014 01:56PM

Diego Simeone wrote: »

Anyone living in Ireland can vote in local elections. Only EU citizens in Ireland can vote in European elections.

Good to know.

As an immigrant, I can say that *personally*, I had no idea if I'd be eligible to vote, where to go to vote, or what I'd need to bring with me. In fairness, I didn't bother to look. I had a chat with some co-workers after work on Friday and we were commenting on the signs plastered all over Dublin. We knew it had to do with voting, but we didn't know what it was for, or when the vote would be held.

I just asked and neither of my roommates (both non-Irish, living (legally) in Dublin) had a clue about any of it.

I could be wrong, but I remember being told that Dublin had a very high percentage of immigrants. I'd expect them to have a lower turnout than Irish, but again, I'm just guessing based on my own experience. I don't have any studies or facts

Peregrine · 24-05-2014 02:20PM

Any legal resident can vote in local elections.
EU citizens in EU elections.
Irish and British citizens in Dáil elections.
And only Irish citizens can vote in Presidential elections and referenda.

In my experience, most non-EU immigrants don't even know that they can vote in local elections.

neamhspleachi · 24-05-2014 02:22PM

Aongus Von Bismarck wrote: »

But Dubs consistently turn out in much lower numbers than the rest of the country, despite their continuous foghorn vocal protests.

Anti-Dub racist culchie ;-)

Andy-Pandy · 24-05-2014 02:30PM

I voted yesterday, I always try to, but when i got to the booths and looked at my options I had no one I wanted to give my vote too. I always vote Green, so thats all i voted for. I'm not surprised very few turn out when there is no one to vote for, no point in voting for the hell of it.

Aongus Von Bismarck · 24-05-2014 06:24PM

neamhspleachi wrote: »

Anti-Dub racist culchie ;-)

I hadn't realised Dubs were a separate race?

Low voter turn out in Dublin

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