It appears that the “sign war” has begun. Last night, all of our signs in the Salt Lake Foothill area magically disappeared, including a 10 foot banner that was zip-tied to a brick wall. All of the signs, including the banner, were on private property.
Equally magical is the fact that Republican signs have suddenly appeared in the same area.
So here’s the deal. First, check out our sign map and let us know if your sign is not on the map. Please consider sending us a digital picture of the sign in your yard. Second, I’m offering $500 to anyone who can get video or a picture of an identifiable individual removing or vandalizing any Democrat’s sign located on private property. I’m sure there are a number of webcam ninjas who will delight in this challenge. Set the bait, spring the trap, and wait for the rat.
The campaign has a lot of signs waiting for deployment at headquarters right now. The office is at 780 East South Temple in Salt Lake. Every time a sign is stolen or taken down, replace it, but also find two additional neighbors to take signs in protest.
Update: Rob Miller has pledged an additional $500 on my bounty. Thanks Rob!
Joe Spencer has pledged $50!
For digg.com users, this has a post going at: http://digg.com/politics/Sign_War
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In my city (NSL) we can’t have signs up except for 30 days prior to an election. Are you just facing the same ordinance? I had a sign stolen that I had put up during the appropriate period this summer–but I was at the hospital with my wife and a newborn. The moral: People know when you’re not at home.
No such ordinance in Salt Lake preventing early signage. They’re just concerned with it getting cleaned up after the election.
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Returning home from vacation I found one of our “Pete” signs not stollen, but defaced with a magic marker. Right here in the ‘friendly city by the Great Sallt Lake’. We promptly replaced it.
You do have signs up in Tooele County. And yes they are breaking the sign ordinance. Every time I see them I think that your campaign is thumbing its nose at the law.
My campaign has repeatedly reminded sign takers to obey local ordinances in regards to sign posting. This has gone as far as us taking down signs that were improperly posted. If you can detail the local ordinance for me, we will contact the owners of the two signs posted in Tooele County to inform them of their mistake. Every county and most cities are different.
I trust you will show a similar measured response in October for signs posted illegally in public areas, they won’t be mine.
Yes I do think everyone who acts above the law the same.
http://www.co.tooele.ut.us/Campaign_Signs.htm
I have a pete ashdown sign in my yard (in north salt lake). I didn’t know it was against the law. I guess I’ll have to look into that.
If I have read the Salt Lake City sign ordinance and, correct me if I am wrong, political signs are only permitted fro 45 days prior to the election and should be removed within 3 days of the election. That means that signs are only legal starting September 23rd until November 10th. Maybe it is the deparment that is responsible for enforcement of the sign ordinance that is removing the illegal signs.
Art, that wouldn’t explain the sudden appearance of Republican signs in the same area.
According to the online ordinance, Salt Lake County political signs have no time restriction before the election, only that they are removed 15 days following the final voting day. You may also may be interested in the Draper repeal of an unconstitutional sign ordinance that did restrict when signs could be posted on private property before an election.
We just received notice from Farmington City that our sign is in violation of the local city ordinance and have been told to remove our sign. We will be notifying the City that its ordinance is unconstitutional and we will point them to the Draper repeal for precident.
WOW- Great Idea, the opposition has just started, everyplace his signs are, ours are gone.
Go figure. But, I will pass this info on to the Candidate (Incumbent) who won 70% of the vote 4 years ago….
Wow, what a plan. I have a horrible time keeping my signs in the yards during campaign season. Last election I lost over 1,000 signs. At three dollars a piece it gets expensive.
This time I am running against an unknown. Every time my sign disappears, his shows up, illegally, I might add, across the street. Go figure.
We have sign laws that prevent illegal use of the County right of ways, but this person (as well as others) does not abide by it.
I like your idea.
Can’t wait to impliment it.
Thanks for listening
That is wonderful that we are still pushing forward to get Ashdown’s name out there, despite suspicious sign disappearances!
I was wondering if there is a closer location from which to acquire a sign. I have a house that borders the freeway in Kaysville and would be more than happy to post a sign within view (as soon as I ensure the legality of such, based on user comments).