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Politics & Government

Campaign Signs are Signs of the Past

Candidates act to remove political signs and comply with Glen Elynn's sign code.

They've dotted the landscape for weeks, but they're finally coming down. No, not Halloween decorations. But for some people, they–political campaign signs—are just as scary.

Now that the Nov. 2 general election is over, campaign workers are running across Glen Ellyn and other villages throughout DuPage County and removing political signs. Many of the signs came down within 24 hours after the polls closed, but campaign workers still have work to do.

Glen Ellyn regulates signs with its sign code. The code allows political signs to be placed only on private property. Signs may not cover more than 32 square feet of each premise.

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According to the law, the ordinance exists:

  • to prevent clutter and minimize blight;
  • to prohibit the placement of signs which can detract from a driver's vision; and
  • to create a "sense of aesthetic appreciation for the village's visual environment."

JR McBride, a Glen Ellyn Republican who won re-election to the DuPage County Board, said he's been out collecting signs since the morning after the election.

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"I didn't put out as many signs this year as I did the last time I ran," he said. "After that last election I was up at 5 a.m. and picked up signs straight through 2 p.m."

For this campaign McBride did not put up a lot of the larger campaign signs that are seen usually at intersections. Instead, he favored using small yard signs that volunteers placed on private property. He has been contacting those volunteers to remove the signs.

"I've had several people ask me if they can keep the signs in their garage until the next campaign, if I choose to run, and I'm happy to let them do it," he said.

McBride said candidates should make an effort to pick up all their political signs as soon as possible. He said he hates seeing signs weeks and months after campaigns are over.

"There's nothing nastier than seeing a sign that's been snowed on and discolored due to weather and exhaust fumes," McBride said.

Likewise U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam's (R-6th) staffers and campaign volunteers have been collecting signs from across his congressional district, which includes Glen Ellyn. Connor McGee, a Roskam campaign worker, said he and others have been busy gathering signs. In an e-mail, he said it's easier to collect the large 4-foot-by-4-foot signs because campaign staffers put those out and know where they are. He said it's tougher gathering the small yard signs because individuals may have placed them in areas unknown by the campaign, including places that may violate municipal sign ordinances.

Some campaigns are using social networking sites such as Facebook to spread the word about sign removal. Campaign volunteers for State Sen. Dan Cronin (R-21st), who won his election to become the next chairman of the DuPage County board, sent out messages to his supporters and Facebook friends to pick up his signs as well as those of other candidates.



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