Richmond Hill candidates have put up more signs this election
Eyesore or valuable election tool?

YorkRegion.com
June 11, 2014
By  Kim Zarzour

Jerry Ram is fed up with weeds sprouting all over Richmond Hill.

No, not dandelions.

What drives him nuts are the campaign signs – provincial candidates now, soon to be followed by those for the municipal election this fall.

He thinks they are excessive, unsightly and maybe even dangerous.

“Is it really necessary to have signs every two feet? Yes, I am exaggerating, but really, do the hopefuls believe the voters suffer from amnesia?”

Mr. Ram views the signs as a form of visual pollution – especially those on Yonge Street between Hwy. 7 and Tower Hill.

“We do not need this infestation,” he said. “It is not the quantity of signs, but the quality of the person running for office.”

Those running for office, however, see value in the banners planted on private lawns and public intersections, and most say they’ve used more signs this campaign than in previous years.

“Campaign signs are a time-honoured election tradition, and an easy way to show voter support of their preferred candidate. It’s also used by campaigns to show momentum,” said Olivia Nero, campaign manager for Liberal candidate Reza Moridi.

Nero said the Moridi team posted 2,200 lawn signs in the Richmond Hill riding and about 800 large signs on major road — about 500 more lawn signs than the last campaign and the same number of large signs on major roads.

NDP candidate Adam DeVita said his team posted between 100 and 140 large election signs, up slightly from the last provincial election.

“We were able to recover 98 out of 100 large signs posted last campaign, and were able to keep them in good condition for re-use,” he said. “In a riding the size of Richmond Hill this is a minimal, but sufficient number.”

Additionally, his team has several hundred signs posted on lawns. The NDP asks residents for permission to place a sign on private lawns, and attempts to recover them after the election.

They are made of materials that can be reused and recycled.

The purpose of road signs is name recognition, both for the party and the candidate, he said.

“The tradition of longtime residents in Richmond Hill is to not use signs to excess, both for environmental and aesthetic reasons.”

If candidates didn’t use signs, the incumbent, whose name would be recognizable, would have advantage over challengers, he added.

Igor Bily, running for the Libertarian party in Richmond Hill, said his team planted more than a dozen general signs without names at Richmond Hill intersections.

“It might be a useful election tool with respect to some voters. I personally think that the number of Liberal signs in Richmond Hill is quite obscene,” said Bily.

Vic Gupta, PC candidate, said his campaign has installed several hundred more signs than in 2011, “with requests for residential signs coming in from every neighbourhood in the riding”. While he understands not everyone is a fan of election signs, he said, “they are a great way for residents to show their support and possibly even encourage their friends and family to become more politically active and engaged”.

Morris Lucchetta, manager of inspections for the Town of Richmond Hill, said two bylaw officers are assigned to monitoring placement of campaign signs.

“It’s been fairly quiet,” he said, saying his department has received six to eight calls so far in the provincial campaign, primarily candidates complaining about another candidate’s sign placement.

He anticipates busier times when the municipal election rolls around because there will be many more candidates and more interest in raising their profiles.

Most signs in Richmond Hill are erected on regional roads, he said, where there is more visibility.

Campaign signs are allowed on private property or public property at intersections away from fire hydrants, driveway access, bus shelters and “daylight triangles,” which are areas close to a street corner that could obstruct view.

Similar rules govern signs on regional roads, said Nelson Costa, York Region’s manager of traffic safety.

While the number of complaints is consistent this year with previous elections, he said the region tends to get more complaints from southern municipalities in York. “It’s more urban. More population, more eyeballs and signs are more of a concern.”

SIDEBAR

READERS WEIGH IN ON FACEBOOK:
Have you seen more or less campaign signs? Are they useful?

Gail Cynthia Copeland: Fewer (at least, that’s what I’ve noticed where I am in Thornhill); it’s almost as if there isn’t an election even taking place, unless there’s going to be an onslaught of signs next week!

Carol Jean: Happy to see less.

Tuba Koktay: Less signs better. It looks like clutter if too many.

Trudy Maresch: I have seen more and I think they are useless!

Karen Terry: Depends which election you are talking about. I’ve seen quite a few provincial signs. I have also seen a few municipal signs.

Marj Andre: There shouldn’t be any municipal signs. I wish there weren’t signs, but no candidate is not going to put them up since it is a definite edge. It would be perceived by enough that you weren’t a legitimate candidate without signs. Too many of the few just go and vote with name recognition.

Karen Terry: Marj, I agree that many vote by name recognition and not by getting involved and learning who and what the candidates are saying and standing for. I think signs are a great reminder that not only is an election coming up but who is running.

Dave Slotnick: Less signs up for the provincial election this time, I know that fewer people are also putting them on their lawns. Most of the signs I have seen are on private or Town/City property. Municipal signs can NOT be put up till Sept. 12, I think we may see more signs then, as municipal government is closest level for most of us.

Marj Andre: I would question there being less signs. I don’t see many empty places around RH. I’ve talked to the campaign people and there are issues. RH doesn’t enforce the bylaws as do adjacent municipalities. I have not seen much sign destruction, thankfully.

Steve Lynett: A special shout out to the Town of Richmond Hill bylaw staff who have been working hard through this provincial campaign to manage the number and placement of election signs.

Dave Slotnick: I think there are less private lawn signs because people want to keep their choice more private.

Marj Andre: Election signs don’t create intelligent voting decisions.

Karen Terry: I agree Marj, but at least it’s a reminder.