"Have you noticed that the higher the office being sought, the more likely the candidate is to flout the law regarding yard signs?" a Wichita state lawmaker e-mailed The Eagle editorial board. It sure seems that way this election, as the campaigns of GOP gubernatorial candidates Jim Barnett and Ken Canfield, in particular, have signs at Wichita intersections and other prohibited areas. In past elections, many of the illegally posted signs have been for judge and sheriff candidates, who you would hope would follow the law.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
47 Comments
Amen and amen!It’s a safe bet that in November, Republicans will post signs at Hyde Park…where there happens to be a polling place.My own particular pet peeve are people who post signs for candidates when they don’t live in their districts.Get a clue, people!!!
Canfields are the only ones I have seen placed illegaly in the right of way. And I have seen ALOT of them! Not even one legally placed. Makes me wonder 1) Where all the money is coming from for the signs?
and 2) Would I be within the law to remove them?
I have seen a number of GOP governor signs illegally placed out west. Also a few judges.
JR–take it to the limit and attempt a citizens arrest.
According to the “Freeway Blogger” website, people can post a sign on public property.
It’s called free speech. Congress should pass an amendment to protect free speech.
Oh, wait they already did . . .
Anyway, you can put a sign on public property. However you can also take a sign OFF of public property.
So if I see any of these signs, I’m throwing them in the back of my truck.
JR, as I understand it, the answer to your question is “yes.”
In someone’s yard, in a place of business, no, because that’s on private land.
But on the public easement next to the street–they can put them there and you can take them down.
Hi Hey … good to see someone from CarTalk here. How is Wayne DeBack doing?
Haven’t seen him since he left with Pickup Andropov . . .
Maybe Kay Sara knows …
CarTalk? NPR’s CarTalk?
What color is your car?Well, that’s the problem.The blue ones always suck.
Don’t like that funny noise? Turn up the radio!
Ben,I would but my radio’s been broke for almost 2 years now. I rely on the 3 year old singing “old mcdonald” (she does good animal sounds) and “itsy bitsy spider”
Kids should be securely fastened into a child restraint seat. And the restraint seat securely attached to the roof rack.
…or not so securely attached, depending on your view of post-birth abortions.
hey now guys. There’s just something about having your 3 year old want to sing you a song and have you read the same dang book for the zillionth time. I just remember that it doesn’t last and soon they’ll be teens and won’t know you unless you have money and they want that money.
vary true julie … ;^)
Grandkids are MUCH more fun!
You cannot post a sign on public property that is illegal under city ordinance.
In order for it to be free speech, you have to be physically present. You can’t just leave a sign there and call it free speech, because that isn’t. That is advertising and you are doing it for free on public land.
Canfields are the ones posted illegally for the most part.
Before anyone accuses me of anything, I have no record of any conviction on this subject, let alone arrest. (quick google me!!lol)However, as far as signs are concerned, the worst thing a candidate can do, in my opinion, is place their signs on private property where they are clearly NOT wanted.I once had a life long friend write the addresses of several rental properties on the back of an envelope, several years ago, along with a note to remove any signs that were on those properties, since she was putting them on the market. In exchange, I had permission to place various campaign signs on some other property she owned.Fast forward, I then see a rival candidate’s workers pulling down one of my candidate’s signs on a completely different property.This person goes to the police, knowing that I was going to do the same, beating me to the punch. Of course, he claimed that I took down his candidates signs, lol.Yes, I had signs in my possession that weren’t “mine” but I had a right to them, they were “discarded property” placed without permission. (I also attempted to return them to the candidate, but was not allowed a “prisoner exchange”)The police made a copy of my property owner’s specific, hand written note, and also talked to a few other property owners involved, and legally it was “over” — though the political damage was done. (Not that the candidate in question had much of a shot anyway, and relax dems, not talking about one of yours with the above case)The other problem I had was with a Democrat.Gwen Welshimer, to be exact, had two different locations that she really obsessed about.One was a commercial property, and she liked to put her signs directly in front of mine, though I had permission from the then-current owner and she did not. I simply began stapeling my sign over the top of hers, without attempting to remove her sign.I did the same thing at a day-care center that used to be next to a church.Gwen and members of her campaign constantly harrassed this property owner about the “seperation of church and state” — which was rather odd, since this property had no legal connection to the church next door at all. The Welshimer campaign, as it was, was informed of this, but didn’t believe us or didn’t care.She continually removed my signs, or at least her campaign workers did. (I am being kind here, I know who did it, there were witnesses.)Anyway, I did the same thing at this location, when a Welshimer sign appeared. (Here, I must admit, I don’t know who put up this Welshimer sign, all I know is that it was put up without permission, on a property they, themselves had wrongly declared was “off limits” for political signs. This sign went up after a series of incidents in which my signs were removed.)The property owner called me, I showed up, and I again stapled my sign over the top of hers.Then, I show up at an Eagle editorial board meeting and I am confronted with the signs in question. I again told them the property owners’ names.I explained myself, very well, and the matter was dropped.Of course, it should not of been dropped, the “Church State Seperation” stuff was fanatical and way off base.Even so, I was happy to make my point to the Board.I didn’t know how else to make my point, but my point is this, “To compel someone to “endorse” views (or candidates) to which they don’t aspire or truly support is tyranny” — someone important said that once, whoever it was, they were right.Implying that someone supports you by placing a sign on private property where it is not wanted is worse than the public property problem, in my opinion.In all cases though, I agree that people should try to follow the rules.
I was placing signs this weekend and I make sure that permission is granted. Even on vacant property for sell, we recieved permission from the Real Estate Brokers.
Although I notice that once we put our signs down, the next day the others have put them up.
Just tonight. I went to Andover for ice cream and I saw Barrnet and Wagle signs on the median ditch. I thought it was an unusual and illegal spot to put it in.
Many years ago I was “stringer” for the Goddard newspaper. I was asked to write a feature for the upcoming election to profile all the candidates and to encourage participation. So, how to do so and be fair and “impartial”? I found a simple solution – one which I wish the Eagle would do. I contacted each campaign and said “You write it. You have xxx words.”
Both Todd Tiahrt and Les Donovan told me my column was fair and balanced (even though they knew I was supporting their opponents)
The average voter is so sadly stupid they will vote for the name they see the most.
I KNOW. I voted a straight GOP ticket in 1984. Any name I had seen the most with an R after it got my vote. Regardless my knowledge the candidate.
And in Kansas, you can bet that money=signs=GOP votes.
Since I percieve it is not illegal, I will remove EVERY GOP sign I see posted illegally.
Side benefit here. Folks across the street have in the past posted GOP signs on their property. Needless to say, we aint friendly.
HEY GUYS,
Lets start a contest… See who can get the most signs in a weekend?
Loosers buys the winner a beer.
How about one of you calling up during KCTU’s gubernatorial debate on July 26th and asking the candidates about this?
I have called the Canfield people and a number of other campaigns and they all disavow any knowledge of illegal postings. Those pesky supporters are just so enthusiastic!
I wonder if they just cant find anyone who will put one in their yard!
Tony – your idea will work much better in November – then we can have a nice bonfire.
Ben,We can hold the bonfire out at my place – as long as you don’t get too rowdy!
Very strange..my earlier post about hired sign planters was removed.
Censorship?
julie – ME? TOO ROWDY? NEVER!!!!!
sorry Ben – should have been y’all don’t get too rowdy. I’ll have a 2 or 3 month old by then (hopefully sleeping while we party) :)
Julie – trust me, they can sleep through ANYTHING.
Hey raptor, post it again.I’m curious!!
There ya go TRACY.
I call “glitch” Raptor. We’ve had posts vanish before but when reposted they stayed. So I’m gonna err on the part of glitch until I see different.
Did that long post of yours have a point other than the one on the top of your head, Paul?
You’re a sleaze bucket Republican operative, a KKKarl Rove wannabe on a pathetic local level.
*****
I saw a bunch of Canfield and Republican signs posted on public easements and ditches etc. on my way to work this AM.
My first thought was to tear them all down since they weren’t on private land, but then I thought, no, let Canfield WIN.
He’s the wackiest wacko of the bunch.
Leave the signs up. Best of luck Canfield!
Dude–you mean you actually read that?
You all are acting as if the candidates themselves are putting out the signs. Perhaps the people placing the signs in the wrong places are not aware of the laws prohibiting signs on city property. Whether the candidate is your chosen one or not, don’t blame him or her for the stupidity of the constituents.
So much for the culture of personal accountablity. If it happens on your watch, you are responsible.
Indeed, candidates ARE responsible for what their supporters do. Why do you think they have candidates say “I approved this ad”?
Unless, of course, you are the rovester, running the swiftboat lie machine and then having the preznit condem it. I guess you can have it both ways.
Like ralph reed and jack abramoff taking money from church groups and gambling groups.
IOKIYAAR
Why do you think candidates are penalized by the Kansas Ethics Commission when their SUPPORTERS violate campaign laws?
Because candidates are indeed responsible for what their supporters do.
Prospero;The point, of course, was that the problem is not so much placement of signs on public property, that happens quite a bit, by all sides, in every election. It should stop but it won’t.The problem is placing signs on commercial or private property without permission, because that conveys a false “endorsement” that does not really exist.I agree that illegal signs are not the property of the candidate. I also believe that once a sign is placed, anywhere, it is the property of the property owner. Signs on public property, in my opinion, are the property of the public, but you I don’t intend to test that theory in court myself!Prospero, to you a “sleaze ball” is someone who disagrees with you.Name a conservative Republican that you don’t think is a “sleaze ball” and I will retract that statement.Thank you for the compliment.A good man is known by his enemies.
I’m not prospero, but I’ll take that challenge.
I do not think David Adkins is a sleaze ball.
…and surprisingly enough….
Ralph Ostmeyer is not sleazy either. We may not always agree, but he has always treated me with respect and valued my contributions.
So some of you who think I hate all conservatives should be spitting coffee right now. Ralph is the rightest of the right and a fairly strict catholic.
He is also my good friend.
Likewise, the late great Jan Kennedy was my friend. She was the most honest Democrat I have ever met, and had a huge heart.Jan was done in by fellow Democrats who wanted her position for themselves, the attacks on her were untrue and unfair.—-I do not consider David Adkins a conservative, most Republicans would agree with my assessement.
I’m not prospero either but I like Bill gale.
and I liked his predessor Marilyn Chapman.
Sorry I missed the “conservative” in front of republican. I answered the question wrong. In that case…
I cant find one swinging conservative that I like, other than Ralph, and I like him as a friend, not as a conservative.
No, David Adkins is not a conservative. He is sane, and does not qualify as such.
Woof.
hee hee heee.
I think we see why paul was an unsuccessful political candidate.