Having been through some campaigns in the past, I have found that sometimes there are casualties. The casualties in this case are lawn signs.
Election signs are an integral part of campaigning. They serve a number of purposes to the community as a whole. They provide an opportunity for people to show their friends and neighbours who they are supporting in the election campaign. Its a very humbling experience to drive down a row of homes and see your name many times over, and it never grows old on you.
Signs also tell the broader community that there is an election going on. Before the signs went up around town many people didn’t realize that this was an election year and it helps raise awareness to everyone to start looking around and do some research on the people running in your area.
As candidates have been running from home to home (at least you HOPE they are) part of the campaign experience is to design and order your signs. I was lucky that I had quite a few remaining from my previous campaign, so I have been able to recycle mine this time around.
You can see by the picture above that signs also become targeted and in a battle, most times don’t survive. If you have been following me on Twitter the last couple of weeks, you have read that my signs have been vandalized by individuals. Sometimes its playfulness and the signs are lifted from the ground and tossed down. Believe me, I know that’s part of the game and it will continue to happen as long as there are election signs. Some the Town of Milton has been picking up and removing to make sure they can cut the grass safely. Again…no problems there as I or my team members go to the “sign jail” on Nippissing to pick them up the next day.
But many of my signs have suffered the same fate as the one shown above.
Over the last couple of weeks, part of my campaign duties has included sign repair and replacements. It seems to be a growing trend this election that once both myself and my volunteers put them up, somehow they end up getting damaged beyond repair. Not only is it illegal to destroy the signs, it doesn’t help in the general cleanliness of the Town.
A BIG thank you goes to my friends and neighbours in the ward for offering to keep an eye on the signs in their area and report any damage or missing signs immediately. That shows our community is looking out for each other.
Here is a link to the Town of Milton’s By-Law on election signs from the website. Here you will find contact numbers in case you have any questions. If you feel that a candidate has placed a sign on your lawn without your permission, or if you feel a sign has been placed illegally you can contact the clerks office and let them know.
If you see someone destroying signs or vandalizing them, please contact the Halton Police Department. It is a crime. I know this topic has been discussed at council a few times recently as well as the Milton Community Policing Committee (of which I am a member) and it is looked upon as a crime…not a joke.
If you see signs that have been damaged or are in disrepair, please contact the candidate as soon as possible. There are just about 20 days left until Election Day and there are also a number of opportunities for people to vote ahead of time in advance polls (Check out my Election section in the site) so get out and be informed.
And if you see me on the side of the road repairing signs give me a honk! But until then, I’ll see you at the doors.