Campaign Signs: First You See Them, Then You Don't

Just this weekend there was a crop of new campaign signs that seem to spring up almost overnight — some on busy corners, some in the yards of homeowners who had granted their city council candidate of choice permission.

But several candidates have noticed their newly posted signs disappearing, also literally overnight.

Steve Peet, a candidate for the Post 2 city council seat that's up for election Tuesday, replaced five signs over the past weekend only to find four had disappered the next morning. He said the signs he had placed were on private property and he had gotten the OK from the owners before placing the signs.

"In each situation I received permission," said Peet, who said he had been on a door-to-door campaign this past weekend and passed Betty Rhodes house who owns a home along Jay Bird Alley. She stopped him and asked for one of his campaign signs for her yard. 

"'I heard about you, I want a sign in my yard,'" recalled Peet. "This morning she called to tell me the sign was missing."

It wasn't the only call he had received. Another homeowner called to say Peet's campaign sign from his yard also was missing.

Peet said he is puzzled by the disappearing signs since each were on private property and not subject to a county code-enforcement sweep. He's concerned it's a group of "sign vigilantes."

"One of the three services we'll be managing as a city is code enforcement," said Peet, who said he has seen many signs posted in rights of way and other areas that do not meet the county's sign regulations; he wonders about those who would post signs illegally.

"You are going to be enforcing the very ordinance you are violating," noted Peet of the illegally placed signs.

But more puzzling is why his legally placed signs are disappearing.

Jay Lowe, also a candidate for the Post 2 city council seat, has noticed the same thing. He attributes it to pranksters roaming the neighborhoods at night just looking for something to do.

"Yes, I've had a few signs disappear in the yards of homeowners who have given me permission to post them," Lowe acknowledged.

He too, has replaced his campaign signs when he received calls from his supporters asking for another one.

It's the sign of the times. And it's an American tradition candidates use to get their names out to voters. And with nearly 20 candidates running for six council seats, there have been an abundance of campaign signs.

March 6 is Election Day, but there's a good chance only a few of the races will be settled; many are expected to need a runoff.

So, get used to the signs. A good many may be around until April 3, when voters may head back to the polls one more time.