Seeds planted earlier this summer have suddenly started spring a new crop. The first of what will likely be a huge collection of election signs have appeared throughout Red Deer, announcing candidates for city council and both the public and Catholic school boards.
Wednesday was the first day candidates running within the City of Red Deer were allowed to erect signs. There are a few rules they need to follow, said deputy returning officer Frieda McDougall. Rules are outlined in a candidates’ handbook available in the election section on the city’s website. Further details have been published in a separate handbook available from the legislative services department, said McDougall.
The handbook dealing specifically with election signs includes a map of the 34 public sites where candidates are allowed to post signs, she said.
Candidates may post on private property, but will need the owner’s permission.
In general, signs must not be posted within seven metres of an intersection or within three metres of a curb or sidewalk. They must not exceed three square metres and cannot be more than 3.6 metres high, said McDougall. The primary concern is visibility and safety for pedestrians and motorists, she said. The city normally calls candidates and their workers and gives them time to correct a problem whenever a sign is found to be in violation of the rules, said McDougall. However, city crews will remove any sign that poses and immediate threat to public safety, she said.
As with every election, McDougall anticipates dealing with complaints of signs being vandalized from time to time.
While she has never heard of a candidate damaging another candidate’s signs, her office receives and deals with reports during every election of signs that have been defaced or otherwise damaged. Election signs are supposed to disappear as quickly as they appeared.
Candidates have 48 hours after the polls close on Monday, Oct 18, to remove their signs.