Vote counting: the ultimate gravy train

Maid of the Mist · 26-05-2014 06:02PM #1

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 · 26-05-2014 06:03PM

There is no more closed shop than vote counting.

rotun · 26-05-2014 06:04PM

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

Karl Stein · 26-05-2014 06:04PM

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

Mr. Incognito · 26-05-2014 06:07PM

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 · 26-05-2014 06:08PM

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 · 26-05-2014 06:10PM

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 · 26-05-2014 06:12PM

Maid of the Mist wrote: »

Nice wages if you can get them.

How much do they get paid?

pablomakaveli · 26-05-2014 06:12PM

How much do people get paid for vote counting anyway?

suicide_circus · 26-05-2014 06:14PM

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

vicwatson · 26-05-2014 06:15PM

pablomakaveli wrote: »

How much do people get paid for vote counting anyway?

A lot, and tax free afaik

Mycroft H · 26-05-2014 06:17PM

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 · 26-05-2014 06:18PM

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 · 26-05-2014 06:18PM

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... · 26-05-2014 06:18PM

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

suicide_circus · 26-05-2014 06:19PM

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 · 26-05-2014 06:21PM

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 · 26-05-2014 06:21PM

comongethappy wrote: »

There is no more closed shop than vote counting.

That and supervising state exams.

dj jarvis · 26-05-2014 06:22PM

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 · 26-05-2014 06:22PM

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 · 26-05-2014 06:25PM

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 · 26-05-2014 06:26PM

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.

26-05-2014 06:26PM

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 · 26-05-2014 06:28PM

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... · 26-05-2014 06:28PM

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 · 26-05-2014 06:28PM

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.

26-05-2014 06:33PM

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 · 26-05-2014 06:35PM

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... · 26-05-2014 06:37PM

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 · 26-05-2014 06:38PM

http://www.dublincountyreturningofficer.com/

see Work Applications

Mahogany Gaspipe · 26-05-2014 06:41PM

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.

Vote counting: the ultimate gravy train

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