Yes, it is that time of the year when not only the daffodils and the tulips pop up everywhere, but BOE election signs also begin to "pop up" and spread.
As part of our First Amendment rights, subject to laws relating to property and obstructing driver vision and so on, we are entitled to post signs on our properties supporting candidates for any public office, including school board.
But, please remember the commandments relating to this right.
For every citizen:
XI Thou shalt not steal or deface the signs of candidates, even those whom you believe do not deserve to be elected, unless someone has placed a sign on your own private property without your permission. (*)
For the five candidates, or their campaign workers:
XII Thou shalt not place campaign signs on private property unless you have already obtained the consent of the owner of that property. (*)
XIII Thou shalt not place campaign signs on public property, including recharge basins (sumps), or adjacent to intersections which are not on private property. (#)
With regard to the two notes above:
* = While most of us would find it hard to believe that someone would actually do this, a few years ago Elwood did have a candidate for BOE who placed signs on some lawns without the consent of the owner.
# = First-time candidates often may not realize that Town codes, and County codes, prohibit placement of campaign signs, or any form of commercial advertising, on publicly-owned land. As I discovered in the one time I ran, in 2002, either the Town or the County will remove such signs and usually dispose of them. Since these signs are not cheap, do yourself -- and everyone else -- a favor by keeping your signs away from public property.
But to all, a Happy Spring (finally).
Jerry Hannon
