Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: The Solemnity of the Day

146 Responses

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  • Idiot Savant,

    It really just comes down to Public Address Rule One: Don't be a dick.

    Which is what it all comes down to anyway.

    I don't have comments anyway, so its not so much of an issue for me. But I won't be blogging about politics on the day (though I might do a post about my voting experience), and I won't be tweeting about it either. This will be helped significantly by my rule about Not Blogging On Weekends.

    Palmerston North • Since Nov 2006 • 1717 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Campbell,

    Thanks for not closing things - I'm traveling overseas on a slowly lengthening business trip and PA's been so useful to help me keep getting my political junkie fix the past week or so ....

    Why not open the thread on polling experiences now? I voted before I left (no second thoughts yet) ... I'm sure others have too ... it was easy, quick managed by a bunch of wonderfully polite and helpful poll workers (who were probably bored out of their trees hoping for a customer)

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report Reply

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    But that would disable discussion on thousands of topics, the vast majority of which have nothing to do with the election.

    I wonder if the Electoral Commission's advice is based around the misconception that "blog = politics". If someone has a food blog, are they realistically going to get any comments on election day about politics? Not likely.

    It really just comes down to Public Address Rule One: Don’t be a dick.

    Hell yes. A few days ago, I saw a guy on Twitter talking about how he was going to use a proxy to tweet about his political party of choice and I just told him not to be a dick. Because doing that really is a dick move, and if you actually think it's going to sway voters, you're even more of a dick.

    It's nice to have a day away from the barrage of political coverage, and it's also a fun challenge talking about stuff without saying too much.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report Reply

  • Graeme Edgeler,

    I will open a new thread for people’s polling-day experiences – I think voting is an important and exciting experience and it’s good that people should be able to share it in a place like this.

    But what if people's polling day experiences suck?

    "It took an hour and the polling clerk was rude" might discourage voting.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Ackroyd,

    Cue comments on food sites eg: "Kids! Don't forget to eat your greens today!"

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 159 posts Report Reply

  • James Butler,

    I hope Twitter doesn't go silent - I'll be scrutineering, and I need something to read on my phone during the boring bits.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2009 • 856 posts Report Reply

  • Graeme Edgeler,

    p.s. advertising for other sites which may have (even old) election-related stuff is also a no-no.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Robyn Gallagher,

    It’s nice to have a day away from the barrage of political coverage

    As Idiot/Savant, I think, put it beautifully: Election Day isn’t about the media or the politicians. It’s belongs to the rest of us from midnight on Friday until the last polling place locks its doors.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Graeme Edgeler,

    p.s. advertising for other sites which may have (even old) election-related stuff is also a no-no.

    Good point. I'll make sure Scoop Media take house ads out of the rotate.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to James Butler,

    I hope Twitter doesn’t go silent – I’ll be scrutineering, and I need something to read on my phone during the boring bits.

    I think you might want to leave your phone in your pocket and on silent. I must own to a touch of scadenfreude when a scrutineer for another party was politely but firmly told to leave the polling place if she needed to make a phone call. :)

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Emma Hart, in reply to James Butler,

    I'll be scrutineering, and I need something to read on my phone during the boring bits.

    Is there anything but boring bits when you're scrutineering?

    I have to have my phone off from 8am to about 10pm. I dunno how I'm going to cope. I need someone to sneak me count updates from Ohariu.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • Graeme Edgeler, in reply to Tom Ackroyd,

    “Kids! Don’t forget to eat your greens today!”

    That's probably fine. "Greens" isn't the name of a political party "The Greens, The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand" and "Green Party" are names of a political party, but "greens" is not.

    "Mana" (not "Mana Party") is the name of a party, however, so people voting in Mana probably won't be able to talk about their experiences. I'm pretty sure the town will cease to exist for 17 hours.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to Graeme Edgeler,

    "I saw red all day"

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • John Armstrong,

    "After a productive day in the garden I tried to get my wonderful greens back into the house but, labour as I might, I couldn't. My key was bent."

    Hamilton • Since Nov 2007 • 136 posts Report Reply

  • Rich Lock, in reply to Graeme Edgeler,

    I'm pretty sure the town will cease to exist for 17 hours.

    Nek minnit...

    back in the mother countr… • Since Feb 2007 • 2728 posts Report Reply

  • insider,

    Am I Blue? Am I Blue? Are these tears in my eyes telling you?

    (Make the act to) tie a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree...

    When [Jacinda]'s walking down the street I see red, I see red, I see red

    For United we stand, divided we fail

    Wellington • Since Sep 2011 • 31 posts Report Reply

  • Pete Sime,

    It's interesting that they are applying the same rules to the referendum too, given that postal referendums are carried out without such restrictions. Is this a tacit acknowledgement that referendums at the ballot box are more important than ones carried out by post?

    Dunedin • Since Apr 2008 • 171 posts Report Reply

  • Martin Lindberg,

    Where did this law come from? Was there widespread intimidation of voters before?

    Stockholm • Since Jul 2009 • 802 posts Report Reply

  • Graeme Edgeler, in reply to Martin Lindberg,

    Where did this law come from? Was there widespread intimidation of voters before?

    I can find it pretty similar antecedent in the Electoral Act 1905, but didn’t see one in my quick look at the Electoral Act 1893. It wouldn’t surprise me to find out that there was.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report Reply

  • Graeme Edgeler, in reply to ,

    But seen as how I have my speedy vote card, I can’t imagine anything particularly remarkable happening.

    Be careful who you show that speedy vote card to, if it has the word "Mana" on it.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report Reply

  • Graeme Edgeler, in reply to Pete Sime,

    Is this a tacit acknowledgement that referendums at the ballot box are more important than ones carried out by post?

    Well, they are, but probably not. It's mostly an acknowledgement that 19 hours of limits on free expression might be okay, but 19 days would not be (and would indeed be counter-productive to democracy).

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report Reply

  • Peter Darlington,

    It really just comes down to Public Address Rule One: Don't be a dick.

    Oh great, I've been reading this site for over a damned decade and now you finally tell us what Rule No One is! :) #attemptstodeleteallpreviousposts

    Nelson • Since Nov 2006 • 949 posts Report Reply

  • Pete Sime, in reply to Peter Darlington,

    Oh great, I've been reading this site for over a damned decade and now you finally tell us what Rule No One is! :) #attemptstodeleteallpreviousposts

    Well, rule 34 can be so much more interesting than rule 1.

    Dunedin • Since Apr 2008 • 171 posts Report Reply

  • Graeme Edgeler, in reply to Peter Darlington,

    #attemptstodeleteallpreviousposts

    Yeah, Russell, aren't you being a little bit Facebook-y if when we delete our accounts, you still keep a record of everything we've done here, and it's still here for the world to see?

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report Reply

  • Martin Lindberg, in reply to Graeme Edgeler,

    I can find it pretty similar antecedent in the Electoral Act 1905, but didn’t see one in my quick look at the Electoral Act 1893. It wouldn’t surprise me to find out that there was

    Thanks Graeme. Do any other countries have laws like this?

    I don't mind admitting that I find this law in the same category as laws banning the riding of moose down the wrong side of the road between 4am and 6am. They probably made sense when they were drafted in response to particular circumstances.

    But now?

    Stockholm • Since Jul 2009 • 802 posts Report Reply

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