General Election Thread

[Emphyrio]

No, if Jim Gavin was to get the most votes and after saying he wouldn't take the office, it goes back to square one where the whole process starts from scratch. That probably wouldn't be the worst thing in the world but I think they need to change the criteria for the application process so we can have a wider choice. 

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

FFG really fucked this one up anyway. I haven't at any point gotten the impression that there was any kind of positive support base for Gavin or Humphreys as candidates (as opposed to simply being the chosen party representatives). You'd think there'd be at least some kind of party membership vote on a candidate, no?

[The Butcher]

Vote for Gavin if he gets 12.5% of the vote then FF get their money back which I don't want to see happen  I could actually envision Gavin accepting the will of the people and taking on the role after all 

Going by social media, Connolly has more views, likes and comments overall compared to the other 2 and also ahead in the polling. Humphreys is that airhead type of politician with a grating voice that is Joan Burton lite, no way could I take 7 years of that

[mickO)))]

Stumbled upon a couple of heads in discussions on FB today, going on like utter morons, who happened to have changed their profile pictures to an AI generated pic advocating for vote spoiling.

I can't get my head around spoiling votes like you'd have to go all the way to the polling station just for it to not count. Is there a logic to it that I'm missing?

The number of spoiled votes has to be released and say for example 50% or more are spoiled for this election it's going to make the Irish Government look really bad internationally. It will have people asking questions, it could very easily lead to resignation's and who knows what else.

If you are unhappy with the Government deciding for you who can / can't run like they have in this election or just unhappy with them in general then I would suggest spoiling your vote.

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

What do you mean "like they have in this election"? Did something about how to qualify change for this election compared to previous ones?

[astfgyl]

Like I get that idea that it looks bad but someone still gets elected. Wouldn't it be a great idea that if say 50 percent of votes were spoiled, then it had to go back to the drawing board automatically. It would properly have a point to it then

[mickO)))]

Like I get that idea that it looks bad but someone still gets elected. Wouldn't it be a great idea that if say 50 percent of votes were spoiled, then it had to go back to the drawing board automatically. It would properly have a point to it then

Going out and voting for either of the hand picked candidates that the Government have decided on for you isn't the answer either it's just letting them know that people are willing to put with this. Not voting at all isn't going to do much good as low turnouts can easily be explained away. If you are pissed off spoiling seems to be the only option.

[ochoill]

Loads of shit in FB comments and groups regarding how everyone should go out and spoil their votes now that McGregor isn't involved and Maria Steen didn't get through and the level of astroturfing is phenomenal.  Both recommending spoiling and not showing up.  American accounts and faceless accounts on a huge amount of what I have seen.  Puts me in mind of what happened in Trinidad & Tobago years back when fake grassroots social media stuff took over during an election and drove a load of people not to vote or spoil their votes.  Turned out Cambridge Analytica were involved anyway and then (or people like them) were hired by the government to drive people not to vote in order to scupper the opposition who were otherwise succeeding in polls against the candidate from the legacy party there.

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

Gavin might break 10% of first preferences, but I'll be surprised if the spoiled vote gets that high.

[Yung Led Zeppelin]

Loads of shit in FB comments and groups regarding how everyone should go out and spoil their votes now that McGregor isn't involved and Maria Steen didn't get through and the level of astroturfing is phenomenal.  Both recommending spoiling and not showing up.  American accounts and faceless accounts on a huge amount of what I have seen.  Puts me in mind of what happened in Trinidad & Tobago years back when fake grassroots social media stuff took over during an election and drove a load of people not to vote or spoil their votes.  Turned out Cambridge Analytica were involved anyway and then (or people like them) were hired by the government to drive people not to vote in order to scupper the opposition who were otherwise succeeding in polls against the candidate from the legacy party there.

Yup, this in particular is driving home the point that we are the most targeted nation in Europe for bullshit bot activity. I don't think people realise it but it's properly dark shit

[ochoill]

Yup, this in particular is driving home the point that we are the most targeted nation in Europe for bullshit bot activity. I don't think people realise it but it's properly dark shit

Internet is basically unusable on major sites for it.  Every single argument is also a fuckin gish gallop if you interact with anything so I gave up years ago.  Where's the graph where's the graph



There's the graph.

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

new Business Post/Red C poll

The survey puts Ms Connolly's support at 36%.

Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys is at 25% support.

Jim Gavin, who pulled out of the election last Sunday, but whose name remains on the ballot paper, is at 12% and a substantial 27% remain undecided.

When Mr Gavin's first preferences are redistributed based on second preference patterns, Connolly's support rises to 39%, while Humphreys' increases to 31%.

https://www.rte.ie/news/2025/1011/1538072-presidential-opinion-poll/

Edit for relevant info: "The online survey of 1,001 people was conducted on the dates between 2 to 7 October.

This is significant as Jim Gavin withdrew from the contest on the late evening of Sunday, 5 October."

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

A group of people have turned up to Catherine Connolly's canvass in Naas asking about Enoch and Elijah Burke.

They have asked Connolly if she's a Freemason...

https://bsky.app/profile/newschambers.bsky.social/post/3m35jbitogc2d

[Emphyrio]

Both were poor on Pat Kenny this morning. Very much a case of voting for least worse.

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

On the Special Criminal Court issue, which Pat was a bit of a prick to Connolly over (asking her a direct question on it then interrupting her as she tried to answer with "The Special Criminal Court isn't the point"  ) :

the Special Criminal Court was opposed trenchantly and for compelling reasons by Mary Robinson before she became President; its continued existence has been criticised by the UN Human Rights Committee, UN Special Rapporteurs, the Irish Human Rights & Equality Commission (IHREC and its predecessor IHRC), Amnesty International, ICCL and numerous academics.

https://bsky.app/profile/donnchalaw.bsky.social/post/3m35tx4nids27