I am in Ireland for the week. This makes a nice change, but I need to stop referring to it as “a week off”. It’s a sign that I have become instituionalised with the travel.

Anyway I was hoping that this was going to give me the chance to chat to canvassers. Notwithstanding the fact that my vote was taken off me I feel the need to tie up as much of their time and effort as possible. They need to hear about some of the issues I want discussed (this is as close to a market research survey as I am going to get) and I might yet be able to have a small influence on the election. If I was to delay a canvasser for a party I don’t like long enough that they missed out on convincing someone else elsewhere, then I have made my (anti) vote count!

I read Fergus Cassidy’s write up on what Canvassers are supposed to do. The essence of this is that they won’t waste their time with the committed voters, the ones that love or hate them. The former they take for granted, and the latter they don’t have the time to try and argue around. Instead they want to finger the don’t knows. So if you want to obstruct canvassers then you need to tell them with a smile that you haven’t decided how you are going to vote. Then you can ask them about the issues you want to talk about. Feel free to give them enough rope to hang themselves. If you are feeling vindictive then leave them thinking you are still undecided when they go to the next door.

Of course this almost victimless blood-sport can only be played if the opposition turns up. And the buggers have been a no show all week! Actually Laura has been home since the campaign began and she hasn’t seen any canvassers either. We did get some FG and SF literature through the door. But no warm bodies have been seen pushing our door bell.

My message to the canvassers is it’s not too late!!! If you hurry you can still come to my house to have your time wasted.