Friday, March 16, 2007
SDLP criticise Sinn Fein of ‘over canvassing’…
On our last Slugger Radio outing Sammy noted that Sinn Fein’s electioneering techniques were miles ahead of the field. Unfairly so, say several senior SDLP MLAs.
Dolores Kelly:
“We were getting reports of Sinn Fein going twice to the same doors on the day of the election asking if people had voted,” she said. “People were complaining to us that there were up to 10 men standing outside the voting station and that they found it quite intimidating.” She said there were also cases of republican ballads being blasted at SDLP candidates when they arrived at polling stations.
SDLP MLA for Newry and Armagh Dominic Bradley had a similar story: “Some people I know of were canvassed up to four times during the course of the campaign,” he said. “I think they were selected. In other words, anyone that was not convinced, they would revisit.” One nationalist source said she saw Sinn Fein members holding an elderly man’s hand and putting the voting card into it to show him who he should vote for. She said party members had a colour-coded register defining whether voters were definite Sinn Fein, possible Sinn Fein, SDLP and those who didn’t vote last time.
But there is hardly any secret about this method. Slugger was told during a Sinn Fein campaign in Oldpark in North Belfast in the last Assembly elections in November 2003, that they categorise voters in core areas as either green (definite SF) or yellow (possible converts). It’s methodical, and in the heartland areas it seems to deliver. It may be one reason Sinn Fein are the only party with five seats in a single constituency. And, most importantly, it’s entirely legal.
In fairness, the real problem may simply be that other parties are under canvassing.
Mick Fealty @ 05:44 PM
Sammy,
“As it is, any data stored by political parties in any electronic form is subject to the Data Protection Act.” - Do you know if any cases have been taken in this regard? Or, does anyone else know?
Posted by on Mar 19, 2007 @ 04:44 AMPosted by The Pink Lobster on Mar 18, 2007 @ 11:37 PM
>Hmmm, could the political parties offer better
>rates to pass on the listing to business than
>the Government? Would it be an explanation of
>why we always find a few “jokes parties”?Oh, never thought of this… What information is available to candidates which is not available to any random interested party?
Posted by on Mar 19, 2007 @ 09:41 AMBecause it is indeed about scrutiny: the way I felt when the SF canvasseur knocked on my door and knew my name was a sublimal message (which was reinforced by the tone of his voice) which was saying that I was under scrutiny from his party.
Pink Lobster
Another gem. Do you suffer from paranoia?
Just how do you interpret basic manners as a subliminal message that you are (wait for it) ‘under scrutiny?’ And, furthermore, just how could he/she know your genuine voting intention?
Craetagus
You still haven’t answered my question- how does access to a register somehow relate to the stuffing of ballot boxes??
Posted by on Mar 19, 2007 @ 10:16 AMThat he/she could sell all this stuff to businesses who are going to junk my mail
They aren’t allowed to do that!!! They are subject to the Data Protection Act.
how does access to a register somehow relate to the stuffing of ballot box
The point is, Chris, if no-one bar the electoral authorities has access to the register, then no-one knows how many votes should be able to be cast at a particular ballot box, or indeed overall, then it’s a fairly routine matter to steal the election.
Posted by on Mar 19, 2007 @ 10:47 AM“Slugger was told during a Sinn Fein campaign in Oldpark in North Belfast in the last Assembly elections in November 2003, that they categorise voters in core areas as either green (definite SF) or yellow (possible converts).”
Sounds like how the army used to class areas of Northern Ireland, white for safe and no threat, grey for danger and black for no go areas.
Incidentally, can you opt out of being on the electoral register? In the same way as my number is not in the phone book can I be ex directory for voter registers?
Posted by on Mar 19, 2007 @ 10:52 AM>>That he/she could sell all this stuff to
>>businesses who are going to junk my mail>They aren’t allowed to do that!!! They are
>subject to the Data Protection Act.Doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen…
Posted by on Mar 19, 2007 @ 11:54 AMIn the same way as my number is not in the phone book can I be ex directory for voter registers?
You can to commercial companies. You just tick a little box on the form.
Doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen…
When and where did it happen?
Posted by on Mar 19, 2007 @ 12:03 PMChris
You still haven’t answered my question- how does access to a register somehow relate to the stuffing of ballot boxes??
Where have I said it was? Firstly it is about giving out peoples private details. Secondly it is about the potential use of the resister by criminals and thirdly it is about passing information out from polling stations which is in itself illegal. It is about the rights of the electorate.
Sammy
You can to commercial companies. You just tick a little box on the form.
As far as I am aware this contravenes the governments own guidelines on good practice you should have to tick to be included. Not only that but Political types or people associated with them get all information and it would appear so also do banks!! Anyone else out there we don’t know about who gets our personal information thrown at them?
Another issue on the numbering of papers, and I understand the need for this (Chris this is where stuffing of ballot boxes is a consideration). It would be extremely easy for a person in the government to take the voting papers of say those who voted for the Communist Party and trace them back to the individuals. I think we need to look at this.
On a previous I meant to say where I live and where I register to vote are different because I view the system as a serious breach of personal security. I can do this because I own a number of properties most people can’t and failing to register can have serious consequences when it comes to getting loans as you don’t exist!
Posted by on Mar 19, 2007 @ 12:32 PMSammy, it could happen and the DPA would be no deterrent. That’s all I know. I have no inside information but I believe in Murphy’s Law: If it can, it will.
What information exactly does one get access to as a candidate which is not in the public domain already? How much is it worth?
Posted by on Mar 19, 2007 @ 03:26 PMBristo
Registered political parties (not candidates I think) are entitled to a copy of the electoral role. Independents are therefore disadvantaged.
The electoral role tells you the full name and address of everyone entitled to vote and where they live. It also tells you first time voters, the ward, voter number etc. Political parties are also entitled to a marked role showing those that have voted and those that have not. So say you live in lower Shankill you could have someone visit you post election and ask for your vote next time mate!
This information is obviously of potential use to criminals.
Posted by on Mar 19, 2007 @ 03:49 PM>>You can to commercial companies. You just tick a little box on the form.
>As far as I am aware this contravenes the
>governments own guidelines on good practice you
>should have to tick to be included. Not only
>that but Political types or people associated
>with them get all information and it would
>appear so also do banks!! Anyone else out there
>we don’t know about who gets our personal
>information thrown at them?Cripes, I’m just reading this again!! Does this mean that commercial companies can get this info unless I specifically opt out??!!! Who do they get it from? Under what terms? Do they pay and if so, whom and how much? And, to echo Crataegus, can anyone else get it ‘legitimately’? Can I check that my information is not being distributed? Also, how much could one make by selling it on illegally? The last question is rhetorical.... ;-)
Posted by on Mar 19, 2007 @ 05:51 PMChris,
Thanks for your concerns over my mental health. Really appreciate, mate. Great contribution to the debate.
So you don’t care about the fact that personal datas are spread into the nature? So you don’t care about the respect of citizens rights?
Basic manners, IMHO, is something like “Hello, here is our manifesto, vote for us, we’re the best, the other crap” and bad manners is to start a conversation by saying “isn’t the Pink Lobster living here?” A wee bit different.
“just how could he/she know your genuine voting intention?”
I did not say that. You’d better ask Sammy who needs to check the names to all the people he gives leaflets to.
Sammy,
“That he/she could sell all this stuff to businesses who are going to junk my mail
They aren’t allowed to do that!!! They are subject to the Data Protection Act. “
Surely, they’re not allowed to do that. But the very fact that any lambda canvasseur get all this information make the potential of breach of the DPA even more likely. And you obviously does not seem concern by that.
Posted by on Mar 19, 2007 @ 06:09 PM
