Just to point out not every spoiled vote is a political statement.
Hey, there’s my vote 🙂
It’s stunning that an independent candidate , backed by the entire opposition to an unpopular government, running against the worst possible candidates from that same government, results in this many spoiled votes
So typical that Connolly is piling up the votes over 50% while the government parties are doing appallingly and get she’s going to be the one who is tarred with responsibility for the spoiled votes somehow.
Brings a tear to my eye that some people went to a polling station for the first time in their lives…even tho some of them are fucking idiots lol.
The concerning thing about this is the right wingers will use this to undermine our democracy.
They’ll call the election illegitimate and stolen, as they love to copy trump, their god. They already tried the fake vote gimmick last election.
Slippery slope we’re heading down.
Downvote me all you want bots, call Connolly illegitimate, call for another election, it’s not going to happen. You live in a fantasy land where you’re a minority voice that’s convinced yourself you’ve the approval of the masses.
Facebook booth
This goes to show why voting is important. We know these people are angry now. If they protested by not voting the government would just assume they were uninterested.
Is that not Dublin North West?
Roughly 40% turnout overall. Not everyone who could have voted turned out but id say damn near *everyone* arsed enough to spoil their vote did.
Jack Chambers take a bow brilliant performance 👏 they might make you the next Taoiseach you’re failing upwards so quickly.
I was at the tally this morning in the RDS and tallied one of the most deprived (and troubled areas of Dublin). It was actually so upsetting to see the horrific bile written on so many of the ballots – swastikas drawn, praising Hitler, horrible, graphic language. It wae disgusting
They’ll be bullin when their stupid spoil doesn’t count
Some of the comments in here are wild. People out here legit thinking vote spoilers are automatically right wing? Thinking people who spoiled their votes don’t understand nothing will come of it?
It couldn’t possibly be they are just showing their disdain for the candidates with no ulterior motives. Whatever media you are consuming that has made you think this way has broken your brains.
Someone can’t follow instructions. Connolly has 119 votes there if the tally is to go by.
So funny how Gavin and Humphreys are neck and neck in most of what I am reading
Why am I getting major Cambridge Analytica vibes off all this? While I accept that spoiling a vote can be a valid option, the numbers were seeing are just showing that people are foolish enough to blindly follow an online astro turfing campaign. Unfortunately they’ve just proved that we’re ripe for voter interference in the future.
Every office in every election should have a none of the above box, and if it wins the election should be rerun for that office with all-new people.
Hi sorry, not Irish here. May I ask why you are angry and didn’t go to vote? I have asked around and the major response was that Connelly doesn’t speak Irish and they prefer not to vote for her. What are the other reasons, who did you want who wasn’t running for election?
That’s Dublin North West, not Dublin Mid West
Better to spoil your ballot as a protest than vote some reactionary wingnut promising you all the things you want to hear. If you don’t like any of the main candidates this is a responsible way to show “none of the above” and have it counted. Fair play. (From someone who had Boris Johnson, Brexit and now maybe Nigel Farage)
Should be a wake up call for the government . We are going down a MAGA road here. Politicians need to stop ignoring communities (even if they don’t agree with them).. they need to get out and talk to them. I’m no fan of Enda Kenny but in all honestly at one stage in mid 2000’s I was fed up seeing him at our local Dublin GAA clubs and inner city events 😂 but he was visible. They also need to sort out people like the Healy- Rae’s getting huge profits from refugee accommodation, that should be banned. They need to see how to speed up refugee application process. They need to demand more of social media companies to control fake news and AI vids online. Some poor immigrant working here is going to get killed or direct provision centre set on fire and people killed, with these racists inciting violence. But the government needs to talk to communities or this far right shite will fill the vacuum completely
I spoiled my vote.
I found it unsettling and undemocratic that the forced narrative from the left, and the shape-shifters currently in government, suggest that spoiling your vote is somehow not a valid form of protest. The RTE and Virgin propaganda cycles seemed to be aligned on the same message.
I’m not surprised though, as it’s in line with the rhetoric that anything opposing them isn’t correct or just, and that you’re somehow ‘far right’ or some sort of a low life for disagreeing.
I don’t have a party in Ireland that represents my political views, and many others feel the same. The nationalist parties gain little support because only a small percentage of people actually hold extreme views. However, you’re still lumped in with them if you dare to criticise the current establishment or the Left, usually branded a racist or ‘far right’.
Political alienation.
Our system isn’t designed for a two horse race. We are a proportional representation system. I genuinely think we should look at relaxing the requirements for candidacy — not to include someone like McGregor but to give a wider range of candidates. Close management by the government over something that is a democratic choice just feels wrong. (For the record I find Maria Steen’s politics abhorrent and I think her election tactics fell way short of the system we have, but I genuinely think that’s partly her fault and partly the system being too restrictive.)
I also think the parties should be removed as much as possible from the presidency. It’s clear that people are bothered by what they perceive as government interference with an apolitical post.
Ireland has an increasingly coherent and politically strategic left bloc, an increasingly extreme but very splintered far right bloc, and a government of centrist parties who have lost the confidence of the people.
I hear so many Irish people say I like our political system but I don’t like the governments it produces and I think there is room for some tweaking to make things more functional all around and hopefully produce more balanced democratic results.
I seen someone online say they were gonna spoil their vote because none of the candidates are fit to run our country. Then I thought is that what the president does? Run the country? 🤔
ITT – “You’re only allowed spoil your vote if there’s no candidate I like on the ballot”
I spoiled my vote
I think one of the frightening things on this is the number of just outright cunts on here being abusive about ANYONE who didn’t vote for the 2 candidates. Seriously many on here need to buy a mirror and take a good look at their own attitude as part of the problem.
Tbh its Dublin, Dublin has always been like this and don’t say its a northside thing its a Dublin thing.
My parents are immigrants but I was raised in Galway, never once experienced racism however I’ve lived in Dublin for 3 years. 1 year in 2007, 1 year in 2021 and now. I’ve only ever experienced racism in Dublin like called a P*ki in Sandyford, in Lucan and in city centre.
I’ve lived in Cork, Letterkenny and Waterford for work (I’m a trainee doctor so I move around a lot). It’s not an Ireland wide problem, its a Dublin problem. Dubs are simply more racist and prejudiced than others in this island bar maybe their Shankill allies in East Belfast.
Did fine gael not allow their councillors to vote for independents in the nomination process
I would love to see a system, just for the laughs where if there are more spoiled votes than votes for a certain candidate, one voter is picked at random to do the job
Shows how voted are not added correctly – Catherine Connolly got 119 not 120.
35 comments
Pipped Heather Humphreys too
Connolly seems to be 119 not 120… #ididthemath
Just to point out not every spoiled vote is a political statement.
Hey, there’s my vote 🙂
It’s stunning that an independent candidate , backed by the entire opposition to an unpopular government, running against the worst possible candidates from that same government, results in this many spoiled votes
So typical that Connolly is piling up the votes over 50% while the government parties are doing appallingly and get she’s going to be the one who is tarred with responsibility for the spoiled votes somehow.
Brings a tear to my eye that some people went to a polling station for the first time in their lives…even tho some of them are fucking idiots lol.
The concerning thing about this is the right wingers will use this to undermine our democracy.
They’ll call the election illegitimate and stolen, as they love to copy trump, their god. They already tried the fake vote gimmick last election.
Slippery slope we’re heading down.
Downvote me all you want bots, call Connolly illegitimate, call for another election, it’s not going to happen. You live in a fantasy land where you’re a minority voice that’s convinced yourself you’ve the approval of the masses.
Facebook booth
This goes to show why voting is important. We know these people are angry now. If they protested by not voting the government would just assume they were uninterested.
Is that not Dublin North West?
Roughly 40% turnout overall. Not everyone who could have voted turned out but id say damn near *everyone* arsed enough to spoil their vote did.
Jack Chambers take a bow brilliant performance 👏 they might make you the next Taoiseach you’re failing upwards so quickly.
I was at the tally this morning in the RDS and tallied one of the most deprived (and troubled areas of Dublin). It was actually so upsetting to see the horrific bile written on so many of the ballots – swastikas drawn, praising Hitler, horrible, graphic language. It wae disgusting
They’ll be bullin when their stupid spoil doesn’t count
Some of the comments in here are wild. People out here legit thinking vote spoilers are automatically right wing? Thinking people who spoiled their votes don’t understand nothing will come of it?
It couldn’t possibly be they are just showing their disdain for the candidates with no ulterior motives. Whatever media you are consuming that has made you think this way has broken your brains.
Someone can’t follow instructions. Connolly has 119 votes there if the tally is to go by.
So funny how Gavin and Humphreys are neck and neck in most of what I am reading
Why am I getting major Cambridge Analytica vibes off all this? While I accept that spoiling a vote can be a valid option, the numbers were seeing are just showing that people are foolish enough to blindly follow an online astro turfing campaign. Unfortunately they’ve just proved that we’re ripe for voter interference in the future.
Every office in every election should have a none of the above box, and if it wins the election should be rerun for that office with all-new people.
Hi sorry, not Irish here. May I ask why you are angry and didn’t go to vote? I have asked around and the major response was that Connelly doesn’t speak Irish and they prefer not to vote for her. What are the other reasons, who did you want who wasn’t running for election?
That’s Dublin North West, not Dublin Mid West
Better to spoil your ballot as a protest than vote some reactionary wingnut promising you all the things you want to hear. If you don’t like any of the main candidates this is a responsible way to show “none of the above” and have it counted. Fair play. (From someone who had Boris Johnson, Brexit and now maybe Nigel Farage)
Should be a wake up call for the government . We are going down a MAGA road here. Politicians need to stop ignoring communities (even if they don’t agree with them).. they need to get out and talk to them. I’m no fan of Enda Kenny but in all honestly at one stage in mid 2000’s I was fed up seeing him at our local Dublin GAA clubs and inner city events 😂 but he was visible. They also need to sort out people like the Healy- Rae’s getting huge profits from refugee accommodation, that should be banned. They need to see how to speed up refugee application process. They need to demand more of social media companies to control fake news and AI vids online. Some poor immigrant working here is going to get killed or direct provision centre set on fire and people killed, with these racists inciting violence. But the government needs to talk to communities or this far right shite will fill the vacuum completely
I spoiled my vote.
I found it unsettling and undemocratic that the forced narrative from the left, and the shape-shifters currently in government, suggest that spoiling your vote is somehow not a valid form of protest. The RTE and Virgin propaganda cycles seemed to be aligned on the same message.
I’m not surprised though, as it’s in line with the rhetoric that anything opposing them isn’t correct or just, and that you’re somehow ‘far right’ or some sort of a low life for disagreeing.
I don’t have a party in Ireland that represents my political views, and many others feel the same. The nationalist parties gain little support because only a small percentage of people actually hold extreme views. However, you’re still lumped in with them if you dare to criticise the current establishment or the Left, usually branded a racist or ‘far right’.
Political alienation.
Our system isn’t designed for a two horse race. We are a proportional representation system. I genuinely think we should look at relaxing the requirements for candidacy — not to include someone like McGregor but to give a wider range of candidates. Close management by the government over something that is a democratic choice just feels wrong. (For the record I find Maria Steen’s politics abhorrent and I think her election tactics fell way short of the system we have, but I genuinely think that’s partly her fault and partly the system being too restrictive.)
I also think the parties should be removed as much as possible from the presidency. It’s clear that people are bothered by what they perceive as government interference with an apolitical post.
Ireland has an increasingly coherent and politically strategic left bloc, an increasingly extreme but very splintered far right bloc, and a government of centrist parties who have lost the confidence of the people.
I hear so many Irish people say I like our political system but I don’t like the governments it produces and I think there is room for some tweaking to make things more functional all around and hopefully produce more balanced democratic results.
I seen someone online say they were gonna spoil their vote because none of the candidates are fit to run our country. Then I thought is that what the president does? Run the country? 🤔
ITT – “You’re only allowed spoil your vote if there’s no candidate I like on the ballot”
I spoiled my vote
I think one of the frightening things on this is the number of just outright cunts on here being abusive about ANYONE who didn’t vote for the 2 candidates. Seriously many on here need to buy a mirror and take a good look at their own attitude as part of the problem.
Tbh its Dublin, Dublin has always been like this and don’t say its a northside thing its a Dublin thing.
My parents are immigrants but I was raised in Galway, never once experienced racism however I’ve lived in Dublin for 3 years. 1 year in 2007, 1 year in 2021 and now. I’ve only ever experienced racism in Dublin like called a P*ki in Sandyford, in Lucan and in city centre.
I’ve lived in Cork, Letterkenny and Waterford for work (I’m a trainee doctor so I move around a lot). It’s not an Ireland wide problem, its a Dublin problem. Dubs are simply more racist and prejudiced than others in this island bar maybe their Shankill allies in East Belfast.
Did fine gael not allow their councillors to vote for independents in the nomination process
I would love to see a system, just for the laughs where if there are more spoiled votes than votes for a certain candidate, one voter is picked at random to do the job
Shows how voted are not added correctly – Catherine Connolly got 119 not 120.
Power to the people
Comments are closed.