Some Ward 9 residents were upset about municipal election signs being put up on public property by Calgary City Councillor Gian-Carlo Carra more than a month earlier than bylaws allow.
FULL COVERAGE: Calgary municipal election 2017
The campaign signs were erected on public boulevards between the road and sidewalk along 10 Street N.E. in Bridgeland.
“I’m concerned about having to put up with seeing election signs scattered throughout the neighbourhood this early in the summer, when the election isn’t till late October,” Marcel Proskow told Global News.
“They get messy enough during the campaign season.”
“When they end up everywhere, I’m not sure we have to put up with that in our neighbourhoods this early,” he added, saying he had to pass by the signs travelling along 10 Street from his home in Renfrew to his office in Bridgeland.
The city’s sign bylaw states the campaign signs can be put up during “the period starting from the close of nominations and ending after the close of polls.”
In 2017, that would be the time between Monday, Sept. 18 to Monday, Oct. 16.
City officials told Global News Carra’s signs were in violation of the bylaw and they called Carra’s office to tell him so.
Carra apologized for the oversight.
“This, though, is the result of some very enthusiastic volunteers and we are certainly not trying to upset anybody, so I will happily move (the signs).”
The incumbent candidate personally relocated all the improperly placed signs along 10 Street from public to private property.
For more information on the election sign bylaw, visit the city’s website here
All election signs must be removed 72 hours after the polls close.
Fines for violations of election sign regulations range between $75 and $1,000.
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