Bacon's Rebellion

Democracy Thrives in Sunlight

What’s the Difference Between Political Signage and Litter?

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by

James A. Bacon
in

Not much. At least the litter doesn’t ask for your vote.

When I was driving through Northern Virginia a couple of months ago, I was astounded by the proliferation of electioneering placards along heavily traveled roads. Wooden sign posts and paper posters had transformed median strips and intersections into veritable chapparals of signage, stretching as far as the eye could see. If Virginia had Santa Ana winds, one stray spark would have burned the entire region down.

Here in sedate, old Richmond, people might post a sign or two in their front yard, but we don’t assult one another with political signs in the same way. It would be considered… gauche… tacky. I know we move a lot slower than our brethren in NoVa, but I appreciate living in a region where people still show an element of courtesy to one another.

Now, it seems, even Northern Virginians are running short of patience for this assault on their senses, according to the Fairfax Times. Fairfax County officials have received so many complaints about the signs that Supervisor Michael Frey, R-Sully, has introduced a motion to reduce the number of days the signs can be displayed and to increase the fines for violations. Board Chairman Gerry Connolly says he might even support an amendment restricting signs to private property.

Go for it. You won’t regret it.

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7 responses to “What’s the Difference Between Political Signage and Litter?”

  1. Groveton Avatar
    Groveton

    They could wallpaper the world with political signs if it would cause Northern Virginia elections to be useful. However, the trash in the median strips doesn’t make the elections any better. In fact, the endless signs are a reflection of the sad state of events in NoVA. Why would a sign matter? Only if you were going to vote by name recognition instead of voting on the candidate and his/her position on the issues. And guess what – that’s what the signs are for. Like Coke and Pepsi commercials on TV. They don’t really explain the product and its advantages. They just keep hammering home the same tired catch phrases. Coke is the Real Thing. You should Join the Pepsi Generation. In politics it’s so-and-so: For Virginia and such-and-such: Leadership for the Future.

    In this last election there was only one really good sign. It was from the Fairfax County Taxpayers Association. It was a graph of taxes over time. The big red curve was increasing at an increasing rate. Underneath it simply said, “The Connolly Years”.

    I can imagine why Ol’ Gerry might not want to see any more signs like that!

  2. Larry Gross Avatar
    Larry Gross

    I like it.

    Why not put one of those signs everywhere there is a Connolly sign?

  3. Craig Avatar
    Craig

    Ironically Fairfax County is one of the few (if not only) jurisdictions in VA that hand out permits for political signs. If I am not mistaken this happened while Connolly was in office.

    Otherwise it is illegal to place signs in VDOT owned/maintained right of ways in VA. Of course politicians break this law every year and rarely face any sort of fines for doing so which only encourages them to continue the practice.

    Here in PWC citizens said in the county’s annual satisfaction survey cited popsicle signs as a major concern. The county has an agreement with VDOT allowing them to step up enforcement but they have too few resources and there are too many violators for them to make a real dent in the problem.

    I tried in PWC this past election cycle to shame politicians into obeying the law through my Popsicle Signs Suck campaign but it failed because, well, politicians tend not to have a high degree of shame…

  4. Rtwng Extrmst Avatar
    Rtwng Extrmst

    While I agree in some spots competition for signage space has certainly gotten out of hand, I also believe getting your name out to the public is important for all candidates. Name recognition if nothing else helps voters to get a starting point from which to find out more about a candidate. Perhaps there are better ways to get names of candidates out to the public, but signage is a good one. I for one appreciate it as long as its not overdone, and I appreciate more those candidates who aggressively remove their signage once the election is over.

  5. Michael Ryan Avatar
    Michael Ryan

    I was particularly appalled at a sign for a Henrico supervisor, posted inside Richmond, along I-64 just as you were about to get on the Shockoe valley bridge. They got up in the VDOT right of way and cut down a bunch of trees in a high spot so the sign would be visible. Just incredible!

    It wouldn’t be so annoying if we didn’t all know that their presence is illegal anyway.

  6. Jim Patrick Avatar
    Jim Patrick

    Interesting that nobody else sees campaign signs as relative indicators of the candidates’ viewpoints; especially about public and private property.

    Do the signs get posted without permission? Opposition signs ruined? Etc.

    The flip side is condemning signs, while protecting abusers; M Ryan’s unnamed “Henrico supervisor” is an example.

  7. E M Risse Avatar
    E M Risse

    The well established 20% – 60% – 20% percent rule on display.

    About 20% will agree with some of what Rtwing Extreamist — apparently a well chosen handle — has to say in the light of uniform abuse by all parties.

    About 20% will find Rtwing Extreamist’s statement so appalling that imediate beheading this the only civilized respose to those who support political signs on public proprety.

    As luck would have it there is the 60% in the middle who need to find a way to illiminate the need for this waste, excess and desicration of public property.

    The medians in Fairfax county the week after the elections still looked like linear garbage dumps.

    EMR

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