Campaign signage gone way overboard

[Kensey]

Anybody else seen the tower of campaign signs on 9 in Hillsboro? It's gotta be at least 10 feet high -- so tall they had to brace it up. There's no way that thing is legal, is there?

[Willis]

Snap a pic of the enormosign, Kensey. It sounds like signs that were once the signature structures of and placed by an icon of Mountain politics in years past.

[BigTom]

I was wondering when we'd hear from the S&B sign police. I was starting to think maybe Kensey had moved away.

[Chutney Daftcraft]

Hillsboro, or by blue ridge elementary? Hillsboro has what appears to be the beginnings of an all-out neighborhood brawl, and the trailer park across from the school has the leaning tower of no peace-a...

[Tony]

I too vote for a picture. Right now the whole thing is left to my imagination. Is it just two 4X6's nailed together. or a real tower?

Like most voters I tend to vote for whoever has the biggest signs so I really need to know!

[cindylu]

Look across the street from the Blue Ridge Elementary school. Someone's got money!

[KatherineA]

I admit is dark on days I go through. Hillsboro. BUT I looked and don't see a sign tower there. Only in Manning's across from the school there is a .monster sign. That sign is as stupid as the ridiculous call I got Thurs about why to vote for Elliot Simon. Talk about misrepresentation in a campaign. Simon should be embarrassed about that robot call

[charliepff]

Katherine,

I do not remember seeing a tower of signs in Hillsboro either. I am surprised none of the neighbors there have not been in a fist fight yet though.

[longleaf]

thiuwp.....

[Steveo]

It is across from BR elem. people

[Jerome]

Please let's not for forget are 1st Amendment right to free speech and that would include political sign’s. Go ahead and call me out on this. There has been many cases where this has gone to court and the Supreme Court too. Don’t we have a beautiful country. The property across BR school is private property. But of course there people out there that don’t have the same political views as others. I have noticed that most of these are Democrats that complain the most about this signage and anything else that's not apart of their agenda.

[KatherineA]

No one is complaining about the sign or who it supports - the fact that it is large and way overboard - is simply a fact that was pointed out in the topic and that is the topic not who it supports. And at least this time, a sign that is too large is on private property not the public right of way. Because it is on private property and if the owner wants a absurdly large sign I've got no problem with that.

I did go off topic a bit with the stupid robo call I got advocating for that Simon guy, which has nothing to do with the signage.

[Kensey]

Oops, I said Hillsboro and of course meant Mannings. Clearly even with that location error it's distinctive enough that people knew what I was talking about.

[Kensey]

Please let's not for forget are 1st Amendment right to free speech and that would include political sign’s. Go ahead and call me out on this. There has been many cases where this has gone to court and the Supreme Court too.

Freedom of speech is not absolute and never has been -- for example it's not legal to "electioneer" within a certain distance of the polls on election day in most places. This restriction on one freedom protects us from people who would interfere with the sanctity of the ballot box. Likewise the location and kind of signage can be restricted for good reasons, and again many states and localities do so to keep them from being a hazard to traffic, which this one sure looks like. It doesn't look very sturdily built and if it blew over in a high wind, could end up in the travel lanes.

[LFE]

Signage is a great way to make people hate you without having to know you... its almost as effective as having a sports team sticker on your car while driving or parking through hostile states or cities :-)

[StickonFreeze]

I'm glad Ashbaugh constructed the sign tower. Now I know who is earning the old crazy guy vote. I'll admit it isn't up to his normal standards though. I mean, NO F-bombs? No Hitler imagery?

[catsmom]

The sign is 20 feet tall. It has 5 4 X 8 pieces of plywood stack long edges together. Do the math 5X4=20. I"m just waiting for a high wind and it blowing into someone's car. Can we think lawsuit? If on the jury I would fine for the driver.

[Jerome]

If the signage was full of Democratic canidates would it still be an issue? No, it would be called creative!! I don't think it going to blow into the road loo at the way it is positioned.

[longleaf]

If the signage was full of Democratic canidates would it still be an issue? No, it would be called creative!! I don't think it going to blow into the road loo at the way it is positioned.

People who are complaining about politics who are complaining about people who are complaining about politics....is that not classic?

[KatherineA]

Most Democrats are not dumb enough to put up signs that just irritate people instead of encouraging their vote.