Local Elections 2012
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Posts
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@Conde 752 wrote:
We have a difference in opinion between “smug” and “direct”.
As I’ve had people contacting me for highlighting what they considdered to be an issue.
Either way, goodnight Mike.OK, if you say so.
Had a mini manifesto through earlier this evening – first thing I’ve seen from that particular candidate in this area. Anyone else surprised by the ‘last minute’ culture of some of the candidates?
I need to stay neutral so can’t really name names – sorry the ambiguity! I’m not in the Rhosnesni area though.
We’ve had a few people on twitter saying they have seen very little of the candidates in their area – Marchwiel is one such example.
Regarding the “last minute” culture you spoke of. Sadly it is quite common for many candidates not to bother canvassing (in the true sense of the word), but to just put out a leaflet on the last couple of days and hope that they will stay in peoples memories. That approach will usually back-fire.
Generally the few people who actually vote are either loyal party followers who don’t bother reading anything, or fairly astute people who take the effort to consider the options and make their choices from the information available. They are the ones that like to be spoken to in person. They do not fall for last minute flyers that smell of desperation and promise the earth.
The majority of people who will vote this week have already made their choices.
I know and have known a good few councillors, the successful ones are usually the ones who keep in regular touch with their constituents throughout their 4 year stint. They are the ones that get re-elected time after time. Either that or they live in a very partisan ward which will return the same party every year.
@Mike Davies 764 wrote:
That’s fine, I understand your reservations.
Not reservations, more regulations!
It’s always going to be nigh on impossible to predict what the voters will do on the actual day and why. We’re just hopeful none of the votes (or areas) slip ‘under the radar’ i.e. passive candidates + low turnout
Nowadays there are so many ways to get in touch with voters – Social Media, our Q&A :D, email, forums + the more traditional avenues and hopefully that brings more voters into the fold. I guess we’ll see whether that’s the case on Thursday!
Like Mike I have to stay impartial but in my ward there is a long standing councillor, a new candidate aligned to a political party and an independent standing. The long standing councillor I have had little contact with in the local community and have never received anything in the post, they have also yet to send a leaflet or come to my doorstep in the election run up. The politically aligned candidate popped a leaflet through the door but it basically just slagged off other parties, mentioned a few central party policies and revealed nothing of their knowledge of the local community. The only candidate I received both a doorstep visit and leaflet from was the independent, who is already heavily involved in the community and told me how they’d make it better.
It’s not difficult to see which approach is more effective.
I think it is fascinating what is happening in the various wards around Wrexham. Here are a few things I picked at random.
We have at least 3 husband/wife teams running for different wards.
There are at least 2 candidates for Wrexham Council wards who actually live in a different country (England).
There are a number of candidates who are standing for wards that they don’t live in but have nominated other people to stand in their own wards, on some occasions the person that they nominate doesnt even live in the nominated ward!
We have a couple of wards where only one person has been nominated and gets in automatically.
It is interesting to see that Ex Wrexham MP (Labour) and AM (Forward Wales)John Marek has nominated a Conservative candidate to stand in his own ward. (John’s 3rd Party now).
One ward has 20 candidates!…. OK I made that one up.
Who says Local Politics is boring?
By the way, all the above is public domain information.
@Liam 768 wrote:
Like Mike I have to stay impartial but in my ward there is a long standing councillor, a new candidate aligned to a political party and an independent standing. The long standing councillor I have had little contact with in the local community and have never received anything in the post, they have also yet to send a leaflet or come to my doorstep in the election run up. The politically aligned candidate popped a leaflet through the door but it basically just slagged off other parties, mentioned a few central party policies and revealed nothing of their knowledge of the local community. The only candidate I received both a doorstep visit and leaflet from was the independent, who is already heavily involved in the community and told me how they’d make it better.
It’s not difficult to see which approach is more effective.
No, I haven’t a clue who you might be voting for. :-)
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