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WATCH ABOVE: The Lethbridge landscape is looking a lot more colourful these days, as political candidates are hard at work placing their signs up all around town – Mar 22, 2019
The Lethbridge landscape is looking a lot more colourful these days, as political candidates are hard at work placing their signs up all around town.
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“You are going to start seeing a sea of red around Lethbridge as we get those signs out,” said Devon Hargreaves, Liberal candidate for Lethbridge-East.
“We’re putting those up for both name recognition as well as making people realize that the Alberta Liberal party is here, we’re here to affect change, and that’s what we’re fighting to do.”
Candidates and volunteers with the UCP, NDP and Alberta Party are also placing signs in various locations.
“Campaign signs are one part of getting the message out in an election,” said Geoffrey Hale, political science professor with the University of Lethbridge.
“They don’t necessarily reflect the depth or breath of support, but they do say you have an organized campaign.”
The City of Lethbridge has strict guidelines about sign placement.
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Campaign Signs on Public Property
All signs must be secured and free standing
A sign cannot be larger than 0.6 metres by 1 metre in size and can only have two sign faces
The top of the sign cannot be greater than 1 metre above the ground
All signs must include the candidate’s name, office telephone number, email address and if appropriate, their political affiliation
Candidates must keep signs neat and clean
CAMPAIGN SIGNS SHALL NOT BE PLACED:
On roads (including paved shoulders), centre medians, traffic islands or roundabouts
Within 30 metres of a signalized intersection or 15 metres of an unsignalized intersection
On interchange ramps (ex. Whoop Up Drive at University Drive or Whoop Up Drive/6 Ave S at Scenic Drive)
On any traffic control device or where it obstructs, detracts from or could be confused with a traffic control device
On any physical roadway structure including bridges, guardrails, retaining walls, fences, concrete barriers, fire hydrants, sidewalks, pathways, crosswalks or street light poles
On any street or highway sign or sign post
Within 500 metres of a construction zone
Within a school zone/area or playground zone/area
Within 2 metres from the edge of pavement
Any closer than 20 metres from the same candidate’s other signs
CAMPAIGN SIGNS CANNOT:
Display any intermittent flashing, rotating or moving light or have moving parts
Be illuminated
Have balloons, kites or inflatable devices attached to or near them
Imitate or resemble the appearance of a traffic control device (ie. STOP or YIELD sign)
“It doesn’t matter how many signs you have up at the end of the day,” Hale said, “it’s whether people turn up to vote in enough numbers to elect you.
“While signs are helpful in building support and signaling support it’s people turning out on election day that really matters.”
All campaign signs must be removed within three days after election day April 16.