Can't see our forest for the signs

Here’s a fun Wednesday topic: campaign signs.

We tend to have a love/hate relationship with campaign signs. On one hand, they’re essentially litter. On the other hand, I’ve known only one candidate in 30 years to win election to a major office without a slew of campaign signs.

There are two basic rules for campaign sign placement that I feel rather strongly about: 1) Keep them off public property; 2) Repeat No. 1.

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Campaigns require attention to detail. Candidates have their families, friends, volunteers, and paid consultants helping out. But only one is responsible for it all, and that’s the name on the ballot. 

So, when a candidate is OK with sticking campaign signs where they don’t belong, that tends to get my goat.

Three thoughts:

— Where they’re allowed: private property. Simple as that. Campaign signs go where someone has given the candidate permission. (Or not. We have a lot of vacant property owned by out-of-state companies that probably have never seen Citrus County. Hint, hint.)

— Where they’re not allowed: Everywhere else. ESPECIALLY public property. Such as public road rights of way where if you drive through Citrus County, you’ll see them dotted with campaign signs.

I’m not critical of the county (OK, maybe a little), but I am seeing a ton of campaign signs in the right of way. Every two years, the county collects these illegally placed signs for grumbling candidates to retrieve. Might be time for a sweep.


(Confused about right of way? Power poles are usually placed on the far edge of the public right of way. Raised medians in the road are also off limits.)

I’ve learned to accept campaign signs in the road right of way. That’s just the way it is. Even the guy who sells cheap mattresses has a sign along the road.

The batch of signs in today’s photo at a Citrus Springs intersection are either in the right of way or on property owned by the Deltona Corp. I’m going to take a wild stab that few candidates, if any, sought permission from Deltona.

Signs tend to bunch up at T-intersections. Something for drivers to stare at before making their turn.

— While I don’t go crazy about campaign signs in the right of way, I do get a little edgy when I see them in the state forest.

Several years ago, I was driving to Inverness on S.R. 44 and noticed a campaign sign along the forest right-of-way line. I called the candidate and suggested he remove the sign pronto. It was gone within a few hours.

The Withlacoochee State Forest takes up our county’s midsection. Our population would be Pasco County-ish if not for the state forest. It should be protected in its pristine wat at all times whenever possible.

So, you can imagine my alarm when driving along C.R. 491 in Lecanto last Wednesday, I saw a campaign sign for an incumbent along the state forest right of way opposite Cardinal Street.

I sent the candidate a text: “I was just on 491 and saw one of your volunteers mistakenly placed your campaign sign in the state forest along the right of way line. I know you’re going to want that gone ASAP. It’s just south of Cardinal.”

She replied: “Ty.”

Three days later, I took a drive through there and the one thing I feared the most had happened: A second candidate sign from another incumbent had joined the first.

I took a photo and sent it to the first candidate with this note: “Not only is your sign still there, it has attracted a friend.”

Her response: We’ll get to it when we can. She also said she used the same spot for a campaign sign in 2020.

Two wrongs make a right, I guess.

There should be no confusion as to whether the eastern strip of land at the Cardinal/491 T-intersection is public or private. It’s all PUBLIC PROPERTY. The right of way, the forest — it’s my living room and yours. And I didn’t give anyone permission to plant a campaign sign.

Drove by Tuesday morning, both were still there. If not removed, others will join them, and we’ll have a scrum of campaign signs blocking natural public beauty. 

I’m probably making a bigger deal than necessary. They’re just signs. Few days after the election, they’ll all be gone.

But we have rules, candidates. Campaign signs can’t go on public property. Period.

Have a wonderful Wednesday, friends.

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