EDITORIAL – Candidates have to do better at keeping signs cleaned up

An editorial by Mel Rothenburger.

CIVIC ELECTION CANDIDATES have to do better at cleaning up their trashed and broken signs.

Signs get vandalized in every election at every level — civic, provincial or federal — so those who want our votes should be prepared.

It’s not always vandalism, either. Sometimes, it’s the weather. Other times, signs just aren’t installed properly and, literally, fall over.

So, planting the signs is only the first step. They have to be checked regularly to make sure they’re still standing, not becoming litter.

In several places in town, candidates’ signs are being yanked up and tossed on the ground.

Some candidates and their campaign teams are doing their jobs. Some aren’t. At one intersection, for example, signs were knocked over regardless of which candidate they belonged to. Circumstances indicate it wasn’t the wind that did it but, even if it was, they have to be cleaned up.

In short order, a lot were restored but, a few days later, quite a few weren’t, instead remaining on the ground like discarded garbage.

It’s just the sort of thing that makes people cheesed off about campaign signs.

I’ve often said I like election signs. They add some zing to the campaign, and they’re important in getting the message out to voters not only about who’s running, but that there is, yes, an election campaign going on and we should pay attention.

But in order to do their job, they have to be upright.

Tampering with or stealing election signs is illegal and subject to heavy penalties under the Criminal Code. A mischief conviction can bring a fine of up to $5,000 and jail time up to two years.

In practice, though, almost nobody is ever caught and charged, certainly not in Kamloops.

As long as sign vandals are on the loose, and signs get blown over or fall over on their own accord, candidates have to smarten up and keep their signs in good order.

I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.

Mel Rothenburger is a former mayor of Kamloops and a retired newspaper editor. He is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a director on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.