In the past few weeks the flood of uniform, repetitive campaign signs cropping up in, around and on top of just about every available public right-of way-space.
They are a perfect visual reminder of over-the-top supporter extremism and gross candidate desperation at its finest.
The stronger and solid candidate with a clearly understood message is going to need a lot fewer signs to prevail in the coming election. On the flip side, if you see lots of signs being used by a candidate and/or their supporters? Well, you get the idea where that is going.
So, in honor of these legally protected seasonal, 24×18 public space litter bugs that annoy me every time elections roll around, I wrote my own lyrics to a song about signs.
So here it goes:
Oh, signs, signs, so there’s campaign signs
Clogging up the Bremerton scenery, blocking up my sight
Vote this, don’t vote that, can’t see anything but campaign signs.
And the signs are running through the city Gateway, well within sight
So I stood up and yelled at the campaign workers, what gives you the right?
To put up the signs to fence voters in or to keep community beautification out.
If most voters were here, they would tell you to your face, YOU are NOT some kind of winner.
Oh, signs, signs, so there’s campaign signs
Clogging up the Bremerton scenery, blocking up my sight
Vote this, don’t vote that, can’t see anything but signs.
Oh, but say now, signs are for display where they are welcome
Yards, business windows and private lots are fine and fun
As a voter and supporter I can call you up and say bring me some
Otherwise they are just..
Signs, signs, too many dang campaign signs
Clogging up the Bremerton scenery, blocking up the real sights
Vote this, don’t vote that, can’t see anything but repetitive campaign signs.
For a much needed refresher on campaign sign installation and removal, here are a couple of resources available through the Kitsap County website:
http://www.kitsapgov.com/aud/elections/archive/08/SignOrdinances.pdf
or http://www.kitsapgov.com/aud/elections/archive/14/GuidelinesOnline2014.pdf
Colleen Smidt is a longtime resident of Bremerton and writes weekly about topics that matter to the Bremerton and Central Kitsap communities.
