By JOHN McCALLUM
Editor
I think I know whom I'm going to vote for in the August primary. Or at least how I'm going to make my decision.
I'm going to go with the candidate who's the most pleasing to the eye. More appropriately put, the candidate who has the fewest number of campaign signs and signs that aren't placed obnoxiously.
So far it's county races dominating virtually any place you can hammer a couple nails, or imbed one or two stakes. There are 15 candidates for Spokane County commissioner, assessor and prosecuting attorney and just about each one has campaign signs strewn about the county.
I suppose we should feel lucky right now. I've noticed one or two 5th District Congressional candidates with signs up, out of six running, and signs for only a couple of candidates in the field of 15 running for the U.S. Senate seat held by Patty Murray.
With 12 of those candidates living on the west side of the state, and most without huge campaign financing chests, it's unlikely we'll see too many more. That's too bad, I was hoping for a Mike the Mover sign, or maybe a Goodspaceguy billboard.
The number of signs depends on where you go. On SR-904 between Cheney and Four Lakes it's not so bad. On I-90 starting just after the Medical Lake interchange the signs litter the landscape like the red weed in H.G. Wells' “War of the Worlds” and with as much aesthetic appeal too. In the various cities they're starting to spring up on fences and front yards.
Campaign signs are a time-honored election tradition. Whether a candidate has or doesn't have signs sometimes acts as a referendum on how serious they are about seeking the position.
There are various rules on placing these signs. Washington Department of Transportation limits roadside signs to a maximum of 32 square feet, roughly 8 feet by 4 feet. They must not be located within the boundaries of the right-of-way, must have the property owner's consent if on private land and must be removed within 10 days following the election.
I wonder about signs. For instance, if three signs measuring 4 feet high by 3 feet wide were placed side by side does that violate the 32 square foot rule? If not technically, I think spiritually at least.
Or the number of signs placed in the right of way. According to WSDOT, if a sign is between a power pole and the road it's probably in the right of way since poles are in the right of way. And because fences mark the boundaries between private property and the right of way, signs placed on the roadside of fences might also be in violation.
I'm not going to drive around reporting violators like some sign-cop on the beat. And what I've seen so far seems to be on the up and up.
If I notice any violations it will say something to me about the candidate, that they're either ignorant of the law or disregarding it. Either way that's someone I'll think twice about before voting.
But in the meantime, can we maybe have fewer signs? How about yanking some out?
If not, maybe a trade – for every campaign sign put up the candidate has to pull all the weeds surrounding it. That way we can get some cheap beautification.
Finally, on the page opposite this opinion piece we have published the entire Declaration of Independence in honor of the Fourth of July holiday and as a reminder of what this country stands for and what true tyranny looks like, as described in the documents list of “abuses and usurpations.” We have avoided any attempt to embellish it to resemble the original document with all its penmanship flourishes.
It doesn't need it.
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