Political Signage Problematic in Some American Towns
Sign vandalism and illegal removal keeps voters from being informed about their options at the ballot (via ShippingLabels.com).
June 21, 2012 — The prevalence of campaign signage for the upcoming election season has led to vandalism, stricter DOT enforcement, and legal causation throughout the United States. While placing campaign signs along roadsides and in private yards has become an advertising standard for many politicians, sign placement and theft are causing a quite a stir in some U.S. cities and towns.
In Florida, legislative signs for Kim Kendall’s House of Representatives election campaign have been widely stolen or vandalized, leading the politician to offer a monetary reward for information. The 4’ x 8’ campaign signage along highways in Florida’s District 17 is certainly not cheap, and many of Kendall’s signs have been either covered with graffiti or ripped from their frames. In a televised interview at the location of one of the more heavily vandalized road signs, Kendall stated that defacing the signs kept the public from knowing the extent of its voting options, depriving those in her campaign of political expression.
While in some parts of the nation the government is fighting to preserve roadside political signage, some towns throughout the United States are working to eliminate campaign signs along major highways. The widely popularized lawn campaign sign has begun springing up on grasses that run near major highways, typically reserved for road signage with relevant information for motorists. The Department of Transportation (DOT) has taken action in one Missouri town, citing safety violations: the signs distract drivers and can get in the way of construction and maintenance crews.
Throughout the nation, political campaign signage is a delicate issue. However, despite political inclination, vandalizing signs is a crime punishable by fine or imprisonment. Before placing a household political sign on public property, particularly along roadsides, it is the responsibility of the campaign manager to determine which places are appropriate for political signage. Nevertheless, it is the responsibility of the general populace to respect political campaign signs, and a more informed voting population.
– S. Walsh