Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Sun is shining, the road is clear?
In contrast with the mist and rain of 24th November, it’s a glorious day in Belfast this morning. A good sign? Things were slow early this morning in Holywood but there was already a trickle of early morning voters. The question remains for those at work, will the draw of Coronation Street and the Celtic match prove greater that the call to decide the fate of our politicians. Rumour has it that Sinn Fein are sending buses to the pubs of West Belfast to nip supporters to the polls.
Mick Fealty @ 09:09 AM
I can report that things were slow at my two local polling stations in Belfast this morning.
When I vote for the third and fourth times later on I will report on those stations too....
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 09:37 AMMick
Rumour !!! tut,tutPosted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 09:53 AMI tried to vote this morning but my name wasnt on the list - and when I called the electoral office lo and behold - my name is on THEIR list! Any other glitches? I told the electoral office they’d better courier out the proper list!!! We shall see....
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 10:14 AMI was at my polling station bright and early, no canvassers there, perhaps I was too early for them to be up yet!!
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 10:20 AMPolling was very brisk in Ballymena west this morning.
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 10:25 AMCould we see a Cubitt get in up in North Antrim?
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 10:29 AMOops, I meant to say, NOT very brisk. Very slow in Ballymena.
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 10:32 AMBusier than the last time in sunny Moira
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 10:38 AMIt’s always sunny in Moira, I hear they have enough money down there to buy a share of the sun just for the town boundaries!
I assume you are the Tory candidate, Mr Johnston.
How do you expect/hope to go and indeed how do you expect the rest of you guys to go?
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 10:49 AMRemember Reg’s complaint about the DUP dragging the people out for an election in the middle of winter?
Another wrong prediction!
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 11:20 AMQuick prediction (wishful thinking?) – The DUP vote will be down, it wont transfer to the UUP or the other smaller Unionist parties (too small) and they will simply stay at home. Reason being a mixture of disillusionment and the knowledge the constitutional threat is, at worst, not immediate.
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 11:34 AMsmcgiff
Very possibly wishful thinking.
I suspect most people’s vote numbers will be down, mainly in the solidily unionist & nationalist constituencies. Where they still feel they have something to fight for though the turnout will, as per usual, be respectable.
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 11:40 AMhttp://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/election07/article2332818.ece
It is more than a rumour. It will be interesting to see how this cost is included in election returns.
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 11:59 AM‘Rumour has it that Sinn Fein are sending buses to the pubs of West Belfast’
Mick, your post was timed at 09:09. Are you in one of these ‘early’ houses, hopefully waiting on a lift home?
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 12:02 PMThe reporting is kind of off:
Sinn Fein are so desperate to ensure a high voter turnout
This isn’t a new thing, black taxis have been taking people to vote for years. So SF may be desperate to get people to vote, but what party isn’t?
I would love to know how many people take the lift, then vote non-SF. The proof will be in the pudding.
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 12:09 PMI was wondering who the bloke was outside The Fort this morning…
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 12:09 PMYokel
I was surprised at the number of voters turning out but it was very sunny!
Yes I am the Conservative candidate. I believe the Party’s vote will be up considerably but am not expecting to storm the barricades in Lagan Valley just yet!
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 12:18 PMThe election shouldn’t take long to count. The BBC say that only millionaires are entitled to vote.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/6422879.stmPosted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 02:08 PMsms,
The Tele says taxis. But I reckon there will be mini buses in the mix!! More on this crucial detail later!!
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 02:11 PMTurnout very low so far in Newtownards.
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 02:20 PMDont wish to get nasty but I’m afraid that offering people lifts using commercial services such as taxis or coaches may constitute ‘treating’ - an illegal pratice under electoral law?
Doubtless Seamus Magee and Co at the Commission - having screwed up the Dirty Tricks and UUP Finances will watch this carefullyPosted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 02:41 PMMight be true Bob if the taxi drivers were being reimbursed by a political party.
But the article said that the taxi drivers were providing the service free of charge.
Murky perhaps.Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 02:54 PMEntirely legitimate and hardly unique to Northern Ireland; back in the ‘40s and ‘50s in Britain, the Tories’ readier access to cars was a significant advantage if the weather was foul.
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 03:53 PMI can confirm that Slugger did indeed vote early today and that there is no evidence that he voted often. By 7pm the Hollywood Primary turnout was sitting at 45%. Hard to tell how the vote was going,but two observations. Firstly, there was noticable support for local boy Brian Rowan (he lives less that half a mile from the polling station). Brian and his family and friends looked better organised than some of the established parties. Secondly, there was no evidence of much of an effort being made by either UUP or the Tories, who used to be big round here.
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 08:52 PMit seemed very quiet at my local polling station, Belfast, at tea time, at least.
Posted by on Mar 07, 2007 @ 09:16 PM
