Election 2024 . Not that one, though the Trump victory is sure to influence some of what we are threatened and promised. presumably we'll have a date soon.

[DeanElderberry]

Any wise thoughts?

You are trying hard, arn't you @trumped ?
😁 😂

Not quite as hard as you & your petty jibes towards me👀😂 I don't need to enter into petty personal taunts to get my point accross!

You can give it up now. You've been rumbled!!
😁 😂

Roll on the rumble on Friday @Brownwitch

If you feel I have had petty jibes or personal taunts towards you @trumped I apologise. It is not my intention to upset you.
I do feel you have been disingenuous here starting threads under different names with your sole purpose to promote a political party and I felt it needed to be called out as it's not in the spirit of the platform.

@Trumped and @Brownwitch I'm absolutely sick of the pair of you to be honest! Can you both just call a ceasefire and stop this constant sniping at each other. This thread and the other one have been taken up with back and forth arguments about who is who and what is a woman and how amazing Aontu are! Please just stop (or start a thread just the two of you where you can bicker between yourselves all day)

As am I @LifeInAHamsterWheel
It is @Trumped here who continuously changes their name and is taking up each thread with the same topics of what is a woman and how amazing they believe Aontu are!!

Thank you @Brownwitch apology accepted 👍

On a different note the last debate on Katie Hannon tonight will be interesting. Helen McEntee is representing Fine Gael, James Brown Fine Fáil, Roderic O Gorman Greens, Peadar Tobin Aontú, Matt Carty Sinn Féin & Michael Fitzmaurice Independent Ireland.
Only 6 parties tonight & the topic is immigration.

Thank you for the heads up @Trumped.

Trump won by 2.2 million votes in the end. Hardly a landslide given that Hillary Clinton beat him by 3 million in 2016 and Biden best him by 10 million in 2020. But yes - the polls are broken. Few ppl have a landlines and most won't answer on a mobile unless they know the caller. This might be a good thing - ignore the polls and focus groups, instead just make your case as articulately as you can. Also : tell the truth and shame the devil.

Well, have had the first canvasser to my door. FG candidate. So I got to air my three issues: housing, women's/girls' rights vs self-ID and infrastructure (especially the Metro). Interestingly, he said he had been speaking with a number of party colleagues about the women's rights issue as it's coming up on the doorsteps. I'm going to hold my nose and vote FG, can't do Aontu due to their anti-abortion stance, can't do Greens, Labour, PBP or Social Dems due to their batshit trans policies, would sooner die than vote SF.

No matter whet way you vote, the most important thing is that you did vote!
How did the FG candidate react to the self I. D question? Our labour candidate was extremely arrogant & condescending basically saying I was wrong not to want a man in all female spaces as it is a "trans woman" not man.
I was pleasently surprised by our FF td who listened & like your FG candidate said he was also hearing about the Gender Recognition Act, self I. D in schools & the sphe fiasco. He was really concerned with what I was telling him, listened, nodded & have me time to speak but still wouldn't give a straight answer when I asked him to define a woman.

I wasn't giving him a preference anyways but at least he really did acknowledge my concerns & didn't try to tell me I was in the wrong like the labour lad. I havn't had FG, SD or SF. Had Aontú & a few independents also.

I am up in a heap about who to vote for. I want to vote for a smaller party but i feel it could be a waste as my local candidate is unlikely to win due to other prominent candidates. I know who I don't want so I'm wondering should I vote strategically to a popular party who are more likely to win or support the smaller one? If my number 1 is the smaller party and 2 is the popular one then they will probably get my tr transfer vote. I think this is the best solution. Anyone have a view on this without going into specifics?

I think that sounds like your best solution. Go with the one you really want, then the next one. Vote with your heart. The only thing I would advise not to do is to give preferences to the ones you have definitely ruled out as they make make it on the back of your transfers.

@Trumped thanks. I think that's what I'll do but I'll also think carefully about 3rd or 4th. I think many people don't understand the transfer system, I didn't the first few times I voted I have to admit. I think there should be a bit more education around the system.

This might be helpful @Dontlletmedownbruce

https://www.whichcandidate.ie/events/14/constituencies

Only vote for people you would be OK with in government.

Definitely. I'm not an expert but I think the safest way is to vote for the the ones you want only & leave it at that. You hear of politicians getting in on the 16th & 17th count due to transfers..

www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2024/1125/1113370-ireland-elections-ballot-paper-voting-proportional-representation-single-transferable-vote/

Thought this was interesting. I usually vote until I get to the people that I vehemently disagree with and then I stop.

This is what I do. My top votes always go to smaller parties. But Let's say the FF and SF candidate would both have a high chance of getting in, in your area. Have a think about who you'd like most of out those two and put down the one you prefer higher on your ballot.

At least if you vote has transferred you have still had a say on the least bad option.

Anyone got their polling cards yet?

Yes, myself & DH got ours last week. There was discussion on this thread some people have got them and others haven't. If you've not got them by now I'd double check that you're still on the register, if you are then you can just turn up with ID and proof of address and they should let you vote. I still haven't got my tesco clubcard vouchers though and that's a worry!! (I save them all year so only get them in November)

Our final polling card arrived today.

@LifeInAHamsterWheel

I got my Tesco vouchers so I'm good there.

None of us have your polling cards, we are on the register as we got greens vote for us crap in our names.

That was pulled from registrar.