Was Paul Hinman campaigning outside a polling station today?

[longsuffering]

http://www.calgaryrants.com/2009/09/...w-me-into.html

Probably not, but I don't think it is appropriate behaviour from a candidate on election day.

[flip]

I'm not sure what world you live in but greeting candidates as they enter the polling station isn't exactly my definition of ######y.

I didn't watch the whole clip but the guy was just greeting people while being grilled by some jerkoff.

[The Goon]

Are there any results from the by-election in yet?

[St Loomis]

I didnt see Hinman but I was playing baseball right beside the school in Palliser and Colley-Urquhart drove by and stopped to chat with people at the polling station. Roberts' campaign office is actually physically connected to the school.

Regardless, it is no big deal imo.

[Resolute 14]

From: http://daveberta.blogspot.com/

With 18 out of 66 polls reporting:

Paul Hinman, Wildrose Alliance: 816 votes
Avalon Roberts, Liberal: 698 votes
Diane Colley-Urquhart, PC: 649 votes
Eric Carpendale, NDP: 43 votes
Len Skowronski, SC: 21 votes
Tony Grochowski, Ind: 20 votes

[Resolute 14]

Actually, this link is live and up to date:

http://results.elections.ab.ca/12.htm

Hinman 1312
Roberts 1181
Urquhart: 989
NDP: who cares?

26/66 polls reporting. Looks like Farmer Ed is losing a seat.

[Cowperson]

Originally Posted by longsuffering

http://www.calgaryrants.com/2009/09/...w-me-into.html

Probably not, but I don't think it is appropriate behaviour from a candidate on election day.

As a sidebar . . . . .

In the 2000 Federal Election, I was inside the Millarville polling station - the local school gym - getting ready to cast my ballot when who should walk in handing out some kind of gift/flyer but Reform party incumbant Dr. Grant Hill.

That's right. INSIDE the polling station.

Naturally, in that particular area, this was not an unwelcome sight for the majority in the relatively unbusy station at the time, including the two election workers in front of me who muttered: "I don't know who else anyone would be voting for" as I was later pushing my ballot into the box.

I had been eyeballing this unbelievable display for a couple of minutes as I worked through a line when he entered my personal space and uttered to some nearby people "Don't worry. It's perfectly legal. I looked it up" and handed them something.

I guess my withering stare, furrowed eyebrows, subsequent refusal to take anything and finally the body language of turning towards him to ask him what the hell he thought he was doing made him a little uncomfortable because I wasn't able to utter a word before he beat a hasty retreat.

That's when the two Elections Canada biddies in front of me muttered their comments about no other candidates to vote for . . . . . so I guess my body language had been obvious even to the allegedly neutral.

Total elapsed time for this intrusion was probably five minutes or less.

I think he might have remembered me from a few casual meetings through the years as someone who might not be totally in his ring (more likely to be Conservative and bitter towards Reform) because there did seem to be a spark of recognition there, then the exit.

I was probably already in a bad mood anyway having gone to Millarville, then Okotoks and back to Millarville again because officials couldn't believe I was supposed to be in Millarville in the first place.

I did hit the internet when I got home to do some googling to see if he was indeed correct in his highly unlikely claim that it was "alright" to be doing that but a frustrating dial-up connection at the time made that a little fruitless . . . . . and my temperature had gone down enough by the next day that I never bothered with it subsequently, particularly since he won with a 68% vote.

Anyway, I thought that was really pushing it, regardless of who's side you might be on.

My sidebar story . . .

Cowperson

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Actually, this link is live and up to date:

http://results.elections.ab.ca/12.htm

Hinman 1312
Roberts 1181
Urquhart: 989
NDP: who cares?

26/66 polls reporting. Looks like Farmer Ed is losing a seat.

Looks like people are sending a message to Stelmach that they are not happy with his govt.

[peter12]

I've met Paul Hinman through work a few times. Pretty decent guy, a little wooden, but not scary by any means.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by flip

I'm not sure what world you live in but greeting candidates as they enter the polling station isn't exactly my definition of ######y.

I didn't watch the whole clip but the guy was just greeting people while being grilled by some jerkoff.

Spoken like someone who hasn't worked on a campaign? It's the epitome of douchy and is absolutely campaigning. Introducing yourself to voters and telling them your name is what a campaign is.

[peter12]

Originally Posted by Slava

Spoken like someone who hasn't worked on a campaign? It's the epitome of douchy and is absolutely campaigning. Introducing yourself to voters and telling them your name is what a campaign is.

My cousin lives in the riding and apparently all you see is Hinman going door to door and GOTV. Hinman is well within the law and is not doing nearly anything to influence voters decisions.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Dion

Looks like people are sending a message to Stelmach that they are not happy with his govt.

Results are coming in rapidly, and Hinman is pulling away. Up 330 votes now with 24 polls left. Of course, this is just the small message. The real one will come next election, but if Hinman can pull this off, it will give the WRA some huge momentum into it's leadership convention.

And interesting story, Cowperson. I wouldn't doubt such breaches of etiquette (if not law) are far more common on all sides than anyone would like.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Results are coming in rapidly, and Hinman is pulling away. Up 330 votes now with 24 polls left. Of course, this is just the small message. The real one will come next election, but if Hinman can pull this off, it will give the WRA some huge momentum into it's leadership convention.

The Tories have held that seat for the last 40 years. It might be a small message but it should give Stelmach something to think about.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by peter12

My cousin lives in the riding and apparently all you see is Hinman going door to door and GOTV. Hinman is well within the law and is not doing nearly anything to influence voters decisions.

The door to door and GOTV are not in that video though? Both of those things are very different than standing outside of an electoral station introducing yourself to voters. Just put the Kool-aid long enough to consider how this will influence voters on their way into the polls. You can't seriously believe this is harmless.

[peter12]

Originally Posted by Slava

The door to door and GOTV are not in that video though? Both of those things are very different than standing outside of an electoral station introducing yourself to voters. Just put the Kool-aid long enough to consider how this will influence voters on their way into the polls. You can't seriously believe this is harmless.

Never voted WRA in my life. Probably not even going to consider it unless Danielle Smith wins the leadership.

It may influence voters, but so will his sign down the block.

[Resolute 14]

Based on the comments in that blog entry, it doesn't sound like the other two real parties were any better.

And why does the NDP even bother in this province?

[mykalberta]

Damn, when the Libs look like they will come in 2nd place and the PC 3rd, that is a message.

Now its time to see how WRC acts under a media spotlight that wont necessarily be in his favour (if he wins).

[Kjesse]

I'm not impressed with the video of Hinman pressing the flesh outside a polling station... its in extremely bad taste, legal or not. I think Kent Hehr is probably wrong, but I'm not sure

I still hope Hinman wins.

And if the other candidates are also doing something similar, f***, everyone grow up and play respectably.

[Kjesse]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

Damn, when the Libs look like they will come in 2nd place and the PC 3rd, that is a message.

Now its time to see how WRC acts under a media spotlight that wont necessarily be in his favour (if he wins).

Yep, this is huge, the PC's are out for sure. Its Liberal or WAP.

[Resolute 14]

Five polls remaining, Hinman is up 280 or so. That looks to be all she wrote.

I almost feel bad for Roberts. She finally beat the PC candidate, only to see the riding go further right. On the bright side, she might get to play Liberal sacrificial lamb yet again in a few weeks.