Comments on: Don’t Fear The Tally Man http://ronangallagher.wordpress.com/2009/06/15/dont-fear-the-tally-man/ Say what you think. Think what you say. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:07:17 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Ronan Gallagher http://ronangallagher.wordpress.com/2009/06/15/dont-fear-the-tally-man/#comment-37 Ronan Gallagher Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:46:44 +0000 http://ronangallagher.wordpress.com/?p=224#comment-37 You hit the nail on the head Mary. You hit the nail on the head Mary.

]]> By: Mary C. Dolan http://ronangallagher.wordpress.com/2009/06/15/dont-fear-the-tally-man/#comment-36 Mary C. Dolan Thu, 18 Jun 2009 21:22:50 +0000 http://ronangallagher.wordpress.com/?p=224#comment-36 Nice one, Ronan. I think there must be a true feeling of participatory democracy at play as well, something that a voting machine cannot provide. Kind regards, Mary Nice one, Ronan. I think there must be a true feeling of participatory democracy at play as well, something that a voting machine cannot provide.

Kind regards,
Mary

]]> By: Ronan Gallagher http://ronangallagher.wordpress.com/2009/06/15/dont-fear-the-tally-man/#comment-33 Ronan Gallagher Thu, 18 Jun 2009 07:44:14 +0000 http://ronangallagher.wordpress.com/?p=224#comment-33 Indeed, having tallied at the count in Leitrim I can attest to a large number of spoiled votes which just didn't seem to be filled out properly, more in error than via spoiling. Maybe we need more 'civics' subjects in school. Indeed, having tallied at the count in Leitrim I can attest to a large number of spoiled votes which just didn’t seem to be filled out properly, more in error than via spoiling. Maybe we need more ‘civics’ subjects in school.

]]> By: wheelsofire http://ronangallagher.wordpress.com/2009/06/15/dont-fear-the-tally-man/#comment-32 wheelsofire Wed, 17 Jun 2009 23:40:53 +0000 http://ronangallagher.wordpress.com/?p=224#comment-32 I was a predsiding officer in the recent elections. (No, not the guy who gets to read out the results - that's the returning officer) and like you, I found the care and attention involved in the process fascinating. Presiding Officers are those who issue the ballot paper, and together with the clerk are there to do everything possible to ensure that electors get their votes. Which is not necessarily the simplest thing in the world. Luckily for us, all went smoothly and no one was turned away. A oouple of things amazed me. First was the number of people who simply did not know the mechanics of voting. Some wanted to know if they had to vote for all candidates, or did they just put an X, or what? When I went to school we were taught about this but it wasn't kids asking,but people in their thirties and forties. The other thing which struck me was the sheer level of obesity. Far from being Rubenesque some ws grotesque. So it takes many sets of eyes and hands to keep democracy clean. I was a predsiding officer in the recent elections. (No, not the guy who gets to read out the results – that’s the returning officer) and like you, I found the care and attention involved in the process fascinating.
Presiding Officers are those who issue the ballot paper, and together with the clerk are there to do everything possible to ensure that electors get their votes. Which is not necessarily the simplest thing in the world. Luckily for us, all went smoothly and no one was turned away.
A oouple of things amazed me. First was the number of people who simply did not know the mechanics of voting. Some wanted to know if they had to vote for all candidates, or did they just put an X, or what?
When I went to school we were taught about this but it wasn’t kids asking,but people in their thirties and forties.
The other thing which struck me was the sheer level of obesity. Far from being Rubenesque some ws grotesque.
So it takes many sets of eyes and hands to keep democracy clean.

]]>