When you're holding worthless cards, put up illegal campaign signs?

[Atlant]

Here in New Hampshire, for the longest time, there were essentially
NO campaign signs ("lawn signs") from the Lieberman, Gephardt,
Kucinich, Edwards, or Clark teams. By comparison, Kerry has a fair
number and Dean has quite a few.

This weekend, though, in the Nashua area, a veritable blizzard
of Lieberman signs went up. One problem: With the exception of
one group of signs, every one of them was placed illegally (on
public property along highways and major roads). And the one
group that might have been placed legally was placed in front
of a pair of buildings that have traditionally provided a home
for Republican campaign signs.

We also saw quite a few Clark signs (in Merrimack, a fairly
Republican/Libertarian town). All of those signs were also
placed illegally.

Thankfully, January 27th and the NH Primary will be here soon.

Atlant

[JNelson6563]

1. Are there legal consequences for this?

Certainly doesn't seem like anything worth incurring legal troubles over.

Julie

[helleborient]

2. No, but illegal campaigning does reflect on Clark and Lieberman (n/t)

[LiberalBushFan]

4. your concern seems so heartfelt

i feel your pain

[Atlant]

3. Not that I've ever been able to determine.

In theory, there are consequences, but in practice,
there's nobody who'll do anything about this.

The City/Town clerks deny responsibility because this
is an election run by/for the State rather than a
local election.

The Secretary of State doesn't really care much about
illegal signs, especially if they're Republican or a
reasonable facsimile.

And most people (who haven't themselves struggled to find
legal sign locations) don't know these signs are illegal
and won't put any negative "spin" on them.

Atlant

[beyurslf]

5. I don't know about NH

but in KS if you place an illegal sign in my city, a city worker will take it to city hall. The campiagn just has to pay to get it back. I think they charge 5 bucks. If you don't pay to get it back, they destroy it. No real consequence.

[Atlant]

9. That's true here too during municipal elections...

That's true here too during municipal elections
(when the Town/City Clerk is fully in charge of
the election) but during State (~Federal) elections,
responsibility lies with the State and they're not
likely to do anything about it.

Atlant

[liberalhistorian]

6. Liberman signs being placed in front

of a Republican headquarters building? The ironic appropriateness of that is just too funny!

[Atlant]

7. No, not a headquarters building.

But the buildings are owned by folks who've shown
obvious Republican sympathies in all the past
elections.

Atlant

[bicentennial_baby]

8. Hehe

I notice you don't mention any illegally placed Dean signs in NH, of which I have seen quite a few...interesting.

[Atlant]

10. I haven't seen any. If you have, feel free to post details.

By the way, if I saw an illegally-posted Dean sign,
I'd take it upon myself to take it down, take it back
to the campaign office, and educate them.

I don't feel that I have the right to do that with
another campaign's sign, though.

Atlant

[MaineDem]

11. No signs on public property?

Heck, that's where we get to put ours. I think it's 60 days before an election we are allowed to put signs on public property.

Where do they go? All on private property? I'm just curious.

[Atlant]

12. Yes, in NH, only on private property and only w/ permission.

I've put up a LOT of signs during my runs for
School Board so I'm pretty familiar with the rules.

Weird story:

During one of my runs for office, I put up a sign
(in a great location) at an old fellow's house.
Later that night, he was murdered! The next day,
I got to explain to the police why my Board-of-Ed
business card was in the old guy's pocket! Good
thing my sign was still standing in front of his
house! It later turned out that his son murdered
him so he could get the old guy's car! What a world!

Atlant

[MaineDem]

13. Wow

So you don't have tons of campaign signs at intersections?

Some traffic islands and intersections look like campaign sign gardens here during election time. :)

[Atlant]

15. Not unless the corner is privately owned.

Wow -- So you don't have tons of campaign signs at intersections?

Not unless the corner is privately owned (although
there are plenty of those). And even then, the
local constabulary has been known to take a
dim view of signs that block the view of the
intersection.

Atlant

[Padraig18]

14. Illegal in IL

You cannot put signs on the public right-of-way or (in most communities) telephone poles; in my community, any campaign sign placed in either location is a petty (fine-only) offense, and the Village Attorney does prosecute violations.

[Atlant]

16. I sure wish they did that here!

> and the Village Attorney does prosecute violations.

I sure wish they did that here! Near election day, the
Repubs ROUTINELY say "The hell with campaign laws!".
And they get away with it every time!

Atlant