Election is over -- Take down your signs!
Driving down Clovis Avenue today on my way in to work, I noticed a few campaign signs (Dr. David Hadden, who won in the race for coroner) still hanging around between Clinton and Olive avenues. Winners and losers, get rid of the signs!
Before an election, campaign signs posted in a legal manner are a protected part of our First Amendment freedom of expression. Once the election has passed, however, they become graffiti, an unsightly blemish in our community. And some, mounted on road medians or on power and light poles, are illegal from the outset.
In the city of Fresno, candidates have until 15 days after the election to remove their signs (and that doesn't just mean laying them flat on the ground next to where they were displayed -- get them all the way gone). That deadline is tomorrow.
After tomorrow, citizens are encouraged to call the city's code enforcement staff if they see signs still posted after the deadline. We can also start a discussion here, and in the print version of the paper, if problems aren't resolved.
Where around our community are you still seeing election signs? And for which candidates?