Tensions from the politically charged upcoming election are spilling over to the road signs that sprout up along so many streets. Residents are complaining of signs being stolen and sign vandalism.
"Whenever they have the [former President Donald] Trump signs, they are taken away and replaced with [Vice President] Haris signs,” Arlington resident Debbie Wilson said. “So, you have a lot of Democratic signs along this route. And I'm not being political here."
Complaints about vandalism with signs on both sides of the race are up, including in Arlington, where campaigns are allowed to have two signs per candidate in medians along the road.
"The way to get your point across is to vote, not to vandalize things,” resident Anne Hightower said. “Show up at the poll."
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“But sometimes people don't get the word out any other way,” she said. “They don't read the newspaper; they may not listen to TV. So, hopefully if you’re someone running and you have their sign out there, someone will notice it and then take the next step.”
Rules for campaign signs vary by location around the area, but just about everywhere, the signs must come down in the weeks after the election. Local road crews also can remove signs if they don't meet specific guidelines.
Residents are never supposed to remove a sign that's been put down by someone else.
Decision 2024
Those with complaints about signs in their neighborhood are encouraged to contact local zoning enforcement.
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