Campaign Signs and Political Yard Signs Blog

Republican Greg Brown Caught Stealing Campaign Signs

This is just too juicy.  Get this:

The thief candidate, Greg Brown, at one point tells his wife Jennifer, "Wait, your fingerprints are still on the ones laying down." They thought they were so savvy, worrying about fingerprints and cool spy stuff like that. Didn't check to see if see if there were any cameras several feet away, though!

Watch the 4 minute video here:

http://gawker.com/5597882/candidates-hidden-camera-immediately-catches-opponent-removing-campaign-signs

A guy actually gets charged with stealing campaign signs

Even though someone got caught stealing campaign signs, I stand behind what we've said previously; most signs are not stolen by thinking adults.  Read this article...

OCEANSIDE: Man pleads guilty, apologizes in sign-stealing incident

By RAY HUARD - rhuard@nctimes.com | Posted: Monday, November 30, 2009 6:45 pm

A carpenter charged with stealing Oceanside election campaign signs said he was sorry and pleaded guilty in Vista Superior Court on Monday to a charge of receiving stolen property.

"Had I known the seriousness of what I was doing, I wouldn't have done it," Eric M. Lebo told Judge Marshall Hockett. "It was a learning experience."

In exchange for his guilty plea, prosecutors dropped vandalism and petty theft charges.

Lebo, 35, was placed on three years'

Candidate got caught stealing campagin signs!

Remember a couple weeks ago when we talked about the rare case where a candidate could get caught stealing capaign signs?  Well, here it is on video.  HOW HUMILIATING!!!

Check out the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vy9CEN5oah4

Also, note the guy lied about how much his 300 campaign signs cost - he valued them at $2,500.  Let's see, that's$8.33 per sign.  REALLY?  Sorry Mister, I don't know where you bought your signs, but you got "took!"

What to do if someone steals your campaign signs

Okay, the heat is on - voting is just a short 8 days from now, and it's obvious the last posting has gotten some great response and search volume.  So, I'm going to back up for a second and give you some "real world" advice.

What to do if someone steals your campaign signs - and you actually know it's a person, not 1) a few young vandals with no intention of harming you politically, or 2) the weather.

First off, never - EVER - put a sign in illegally.  It's not littering, it's unfair and it's not right.  And never – EVER – take your opponent signs, no matter how unfairly they are being to you.  You must remember, YOU have to play fair, even when your opponent doesn't.  Why?  You'll be better off in the long run.

Story time: I had a school board client recently who worked his tail off to get 4X8 commercial locations.  He must have gotten 20 locations - that's a lot for a local school board race.  His opponent’s husband came by and put in her 2X4 signs right next to his - NEVER getting permission from the land owner.  They just thought since his wife's opponent was there with a sign, they could too.  NOT THE CASE!

My client lost.  But turns out the "lady" in question is not in deep trouble and will probably get kicked off the school board.  Suffice to say, the law of sowing and reaping is alive and well these days.  (Always remember that!)  While my client didn’t win, he played fair and square and can hold his head high for being an upstanding and fair-play person.

Okay, back to your question...

What are some very common reasons your sign may no longer be in someone's residential yard?

1. It may be a rental house and the owner/tenant took it out
2. Two votes in one house have different opinions about who to vote for and the sign that was once "okay" to be in the yard is now no longer okay
3. The lawn mower, whoever it was, didn't/forgot to replace the sign after mowing
4. The voter changed their mind and they no longer want to display your sign - this happens for MANY reasons and you shouldn't get freaked out by it
5. They gave their sign to a friend because the intent to get another one soon (and you're obsessing about it way too much) - this sounds unlikely - I even didn't believe this, but have seen it a gazillion times and I'm still amazed
6. The homeowner is going out of town and took the sign down (another excuse I thought was totally bunk and have heard it so many times, it needs to get included in this list)

There are other factors at work here other than your evil opponent stealing your signs.  Frankly, (and it’s hard to believe this now, because you’ve worked so hard on your campaign it’s easiest to blame the other side) most of your signs are not being stolen by the other side.  Does it happen?  YES – OF COURSE!  But are the bulk of your missing signs being stolen by the other side?  No.

You cannot expect that if your signs are missing from several locations that your opponent is stealing them.  It’s simply a bad assumption.

However, if you lose 60 or more signs out of say 200, chances are someone is intentionally taking them.

Here’s the deal with that though.  USUALLY, no candidate is stupid enough to take someone else’s signs.  Remember, I said usually.  Each election cycle, some jackass candidates DOES steal their opponent’s signs and it’s caught on video tape.  So, yes, it does happen.  But an actual candidate stealing their opponent’s signs is rare.  (This will not sit well with most candidates or politicians because they think anytime a sign is missing, it was stolen by the other side.)

Most times, when signs are actually stolen – really STOLEN - it’s a “well-intentioned” supporter of your opponent’s.  They are usually new-comers to politics.  They think they are helping.  They think that they are being tricky, hacky and hurting the other side.

In reality they only risk hurting the candidate they are trying to help.

Opinions abound in politics, but here’s an opinion you would do well to hear: most people can’t judge how many campaign signs you have up.  You could have 100 up in a small neighborhood, or 1,000 – and you’d get a different estimate from each person you talked to.  In fact, experienced professionals – paid “experts” often times have no clue how many signs to order…and often misjudge the demand for signs – too high and too low.

Instead of focusing on the “stolen” signs, you need to be going door to door asking people for votes.

Remember, you must have campaign signs for your campaign.  But, campaign signs don’t vote – people do.

Therefore, get your signs up, get as many locations as you can; get signs up along busy streets and then try to penetrate deep into residential neighborhoods.

Get enough signs to put up through Election Day and at the polling place.  Don’t worry about all the signs your losing.  Just keep putting signs up, knocking on doors and asking for votes.

The Old "Someone is Stealing Campaign Signs Letter To The Editor" Trick

The Old "Someone is Stealing My Signs Letter To The Editor" Trick

I would like to point out (to those who think they are being tricky or original) that your letter to the editor trick is neither tricky nor original.  And, it’s not fair.

I shall back up.

It seems that often someone not associated too closely with a campaign will write a letter to the editor complaining about the stealing of campaign signs.  They'll say how unfair and dirty it is and that the citizens of Whateverville deserve better than that - and that "that" is (Insert Your Candidate's Name Here).

Writing a letter to the editor of your local paper complaining about campaign signs being stolen does not fool any voters.

Frankly, you're better off writing about how great your candidate is, instead of your concern for the "fair play, let the best man win" politics.  Your fake concern for all that's good and right is simply an attack.  By not naming your candidate's opponent you are simply insinuating one candidate is stealing the other candidate’s signs.

If that is the case, come out and make the accusation - don't hind behind your pretend concern for the stealing of campaign signs.

Here is a good example of such a letter.  And, sorry Mrs. Simberg, I’re not trying to pick on you.  There are a lot of people who’ve written your same letter.

One should never steal a campaign sign, no matter what.  (Yes even placed illegally.)

Further, one should never accuse another of stealing campaign signs unless they have proof.  Frankly, more signs are lost to the weather and bored 12 year-old boys than the evil plottings of “the other side.”

Campaign Sign Etiquette

We see lots of people complain about "stealing campaign signs" but we rarely get to see anyone talk about campaign sign etiquette, but here's a story from Lynchburg, VA

Congrats to reporter: Shelley Basinger and producer: Amy Foster for a job well done!

_______________________

Lynchburg, VA - With about three weeks until Election Day, you'll probably start to notice more and more campaign signs along area roads. That comes with a reminder: there are laws to follow when supporting your candidate.

So far, both parties are reporting little illegal sign activity. However, some election years were so bad, they don't want history to repeat itself.

"The worst was probably the '04 campaign," John Lawrence with the Lynchburg Democrats said.

As George Bush and John Kerry battled it out for the presidency, some of their Lynchburg supporters waged a sign war.

"People were stealing signs right and left. I know it was really bad everywhere," Lawrence said.

Three years later, someone attached razor blades to a campaign sign in Amherst County. So far this fall, local Republicans say they've already had someone knock down one of their biggest banners.

Mark Peake with the Lynchburg Republicans said, "This sign, every year, every election is vandalized, it's knocked down, sometimes they break it in half, sometimes they don't... we've found it in the field over there before."

Commonwealth's Attorney Michael Doucette said, "They think it's just a little fun, just tweaking the other side. No, it's a crime."

Doucette says vandalizing and stealing signs carries the same hefty consequence.

"People don't realize when you take someone's sign that is petit larceny, that is punishable by 12 months in jail," Doucette said.

You can also make a passive mistake, based on where you put campaign signs. Doucette says as long as the signs are in your front yard, you're okay. It's when they're in front of the sidewalk, that you're breaking the rules.

"The definition of a public highway or road is anywhere from the sidewalks in," Doucette said.

So pay attention, don't lose your cool and try to keep in mind that signs don’t win elections.

If a sign is misplaced and on public property, don't move it yourself. That can sometimes create more tension between parties. Call the city to report it and they'll have the sign removed.

Video available at http://www.wset.com/news/stories/1009/666108.html