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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

Original poster

to expect any of the candidates for the local elections to have done any sort of canvassing whatsoever?

21 replies

FrayedKnot · 03/05/2007 17:20

Because I have had one measly flyer from one guy

If I'm going to vote I need to phone the polling station & ask for a lift b/c I'm housebound atm, but I've no idea who i will vote for when I get there, so i really cna't be bothered.

There are no boards up and they have done no doorstepping (i should know having hardly left the house for the past 2 weeks).

Bugger 'em all

OP posts:

rowan1971 · 03/05/2007 17:27

I've never been spoken to by a candidate in my entire life. Suspect that it only happens for the cameras these days. I will vote though, if only because it irritates me not to. (Mind you, the polling station is on the corner of my street.)

purpleturtle · 03/05/2007 17:28

I've just voted based on nothing at all as well. Not a single flyer. Comes to something when even the candidates are apathetic.

fryalot · 03/05/2007 17:30

I had two fliers - both of which told me that the candidate grew up round here/didn't grow up round here.... erm that's all. No policies, no one weekly or fortnightly bin collection, no street lighting/crime/nhs/education information.... just where they sodding well grew up.

so I voted for the bloke who didn't grow up round here out of spite.

Also, I was told I could vote for no more than three candidates - wtf? I thought you only got one!

Original poster

FrayedKnot · 03/05/2007 17:36

I have always voted. This really irritates me, where I used to live we used to get doorstepping, the lot.

OP posts:

agnesnitt · 03/05/2007 19:02

I've had leaflets from the three main parties and the local independent. The BNP candidate wisely decided not to canvas for votes.

I went and voted, even though I was knackered and had forgotten all about it.

I can understand being annoyed by the lack of action on the part of your prospective councillors. They are supposed to be winning your vote, not assuming you'll vote the same way you did last year or at the last general election.

As a related bugbear, does anybody else get miffed when all the local election campaigning revolves around national party politics? I want to hear about what you're going to do for my ward and my city if you are elected to my local council. I base my vote for the general election on the national plans, at the minute I'm more bothered about issues that affect my family and I reasonably directly!

Agnes

TheodoresMummy · 03/05/2007 21:51

Bloody hell, we've had 'em all knocking on the door....

They all say exactly the same thing on their leaflets tho - Want to increase recycling, will listen to 'you' and represent 'you'.

Load of shit. They all have the same small minded ideas as eachother.

(Can you tell i'm a bit pissed off at the moment ? .

morningpaper · 03/05/2007 21:52

AHH CRAP I FORGOT TO VOTE

I knew there was something I had to do today

Apatosaurus · 03/05/2007 21:56

Mr Conservative came and knocked on our door and I opened it before I saw the blue rosette, with immaculate timing dd2 ran into hall with arse hanging out from under vest waving her nappy about.

Mr Conservative (with look of terror) profered me leaflet and said "I'll leave you in peace, you look very busy" and scarpered.

During election time always have naked shitty child close at hand.

(maybe I should put that in for this weeks tip?)

PiusIX · 03/05/2007 21:59

They're only interested in marginals. Last GENERAL election, I had not a single flyer through the door, never mind a canvasser. But then was in super-safe London Labour seat, so not worth anyone's while.

RustyBear · 03/05/2007 22:02

Squonk - you get as many votes as there are seats being contested in your ward.

I never bother to read the literature anyway - we've lived here 15 years & I've worked for the council for nearly 7 and it's alternated between Tory & Lib Dem & the only difference it's ever made is that they keep changing the council's name and/or logo. Everything else stays the same - and there's no chance of labour ever getting more than a couple of seats.

gemmiegoatlegs · 03/05/2007 22:04

we have had loads of lies through the door for weeks.

It was lovely first thing this morning to get a card through the door, wishing us a good morning and don't forget it's polling day....well, the good morning was nice anyhow

Muminfife · 03/05/2007 22:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

NappyValley · 03/05/2007 22:07

I have had NO leaflets at all this year. But I did go and vote as I believe in that very strongly.

However I am baby sitting tonight and was surprised by a knock at the door and a local conservative chap canvassing to get the alst few people down the polling booth. Fairly impressed by that, but I live in a different ward.

GreebosWhiskers · 03/05/2007 22:11

I voted (not that I had much to choose from) but there was no-one round my door, or up the town, or even driving round annoying people with loudhailers - everything seems to have been done by post.

EllieKthePA · 03/05/2007 22:11

my brother has just turned 18 so was eligible to vote for the first time. he asked my dad how he should decide who to vote for and was told he should read the info they send out and decide which he agreed with most.

as only 1 party bothered, that's who he voted for!

GreebosWhiskers · 03/05/2007 22:12

MumInFife I'm in Dunfermline - where are you?

Berries · 03/05/2007 22:12

We didn't even HAVE a labour candidate, and I didn't know until I got there.

marymoocow · 03/05/2007 22:14

We had a flyer through from and independant whittering on about how fed up he was about our town being used as an extension of London, ie. cheaper housing for commuters etc.., and then when i turned it over and read the blurb about him it stated that "both he and his wife worked long hours and commuted vast distances"

Contradiction in his beliefs about commuters (as he was also boasting he was the only candidate that actually lived in our ward)
If he works long hours, when is he going to have time to represent us?

No we didn't have anyone round at all, and the polling station was void of anyone too

JoshandJamie · 03/05/2007 22:30

Well we had one candidate come round. And a follow up leaflet. And not a sausage from any of the others. So you know, maybe I am a sucker for marketing, but I gave my vote to the bloke who made the effort. (maybe he just had a bigger budget - but feet on the street doesn't equal budget, it = effort)

Muminfife · 03/05/2007 22:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

bilblio · 03/05/2007 23:41

I do actually read the bumph that gets sent, not that it matters it's a safe Labour seat. We had 3 leaflets from Labour on different days, including one this morning and the Conservative sent us sent 2 leatlets. It wasn't until we got to the polling station that we found there were UKIP and Green Party candidates too, they'd sent us nothing at all.

I never forget to vote, it's a bit difficult when there's a big sign across the road saying "Polling Station". I always think it's sad at how few people do vote though. I haven't exactly been counting how many people have gone in and out, but I've been working in the front bedroom all day and I'd be surprised if I saw more than 100 people.

Flip