Welcome to lawn sign day! Today’s the day when candidates for city council, school committee, area council and some ballot question that I’ve been meaning to read up on, are allowed to join those Fuller and Lennon signs that have casting shadows since August.
Yes this is the day when we find out which candidates go with the tried-and-true red, white and blue or seek to stand out using green, orange, chartreuse or some other scheme that consultants usually tell you not to use. Some years it’s even the day when we discover a candidate who didn’t read the rules about the maximum lawn sign dimensions and has to try and fit their entire order of oversized signs into a green recycling bin.
And yes it’s the day when you can see which new candidates have the confidence in themselves to not use the words “elect” on their sign so they can use them when running for re-election in two years. It might also be the year when ward council candidates choose not to use the word “ward” on their sign so they can run at large in two years if the charter passes…or even those who skip listing a ward number so they can run for one of the four at-large, at-large seats, if the charter passes.
Of course, this is also the day when some folks decide to never, ever, ever, speak to so-and-so-down-the street because of their candidate choices or at least until that person shows up with baby-back ribs at next summer’s block party.
And it’s not far from the day when someone defaces or removes someone’s signs and candidates and supporters get all worked up and frustrated and start spreading mean rumors about their opponents, even if the opponent may have had nothing to do with it.
In other words, it’s a day we celebrate democracy! Or, if you are in the lawn sign printing business, to sit back and smile.
The rules in case anyone needs them:
https://twitter.com/newtonwatch/status/911041160923287552
Suns out! Signs up!
First one went up at 7am! So excited about Sign-A-Pooloza! Look for Brenda for Ward 6 City Council all over Ward 6!
Just put up ninety ‘Write-In Allison Sharma for Ward 4 Councilor’ signs.
Definitely a fun morning!
Jack was nice enough to post Newton’s lawn sign ordinance. Most people are unaware that aspects of the law–specifically the part limiting display dates, as well as the part regulating sign size, have been found unconstitutional in legal challenges throughout the country. The City has been aware of this for years, but has taken no action to bring these regulations into compliance with the constitution, likely because they give an advantage to incumbents [who write the regulations] over challengers.
Mike, do those findings of unconstitutionality also apply to this last rule, which was cropped off the Twitter image of the zoning regulations? Looking around, it seems that this rule may be the most likely to be infringed upon. Asking for a friend of a friend.
h. No more than 1 election sign per candidate or per ballot issue shall be erected on a single lot.
Bruce– I should make clear that the law is not my field of expertise. I just did a little research on this topic a few years back after a Newton homeowner made the news with a super-sized lawn sign. In general, my understanding is that the courts give the widest berth possible to those exercising free speech in the political arena. Courts have in specific cases, struck down ordinances that limit when political lawn signs can be displayed, and how large they can be. While I’m not personally aware of cases addressing how many signs can be displayed for a single candidate or political cause, my opinion is that the specific regulation you asked about should be eliminated from the City’s lawn sign regulations as well.
It’s a perennial frustration for me that my house is on a lot fronted by hedges, so there’s no point putting up lawn signs. Though I’m not sure how much difference they make anyway.
Here’s my virtual sign – Brenda Noel for Ward 6 City Councilor!
Thanks Meredith!
Here is a yard sign map that includes city council, school committee, and mayor signs.
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/1/edit?hl=en&mid=1vRPEb6UJwAQ3VEX72iilQxN3Sso&ll=42.3139235957412%2C-71.17914048713607&z=13
This is not an accurate representation of mayoral lawn sign locations. Not close. You only include streets on the southside of the city with a smattering of streets north of the Commonwealth Avenue. This feeds into every stereotype of who’s valued in Newton.
@Jane Frantz I don’t go walking around the city for hours to find yard signs. These are simply yeard signs near where my friends and I live, and more will be added before the election.
Hey Logan. We appreciate the initiative but please be careful when you present something like this to give us the context, which you did in your second comment. And thanks for participating here.
(For those who don’t know Logan is a middle school student.)
P.S. Have you considered opening this map so everyone could contribute to it?
@Greg Reibman I have made a google form to submit locations of yard signs. https://goo.gl/forms/7tyXpo359ZFVPlGr2
Thanks Logan
Thanks, Logan. I didn’t know you were a middle school student so the context is helpful. Someone told me you were on V14 on Prelim night, and I was out and about that evening and did not see that.
I’ll get some locations on your Google form when I have a few minutes. I fully support student civic engagement!