The Ellis County Press: Sign Wars

Sign Wars
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Editor on 04/24/2003 00:00:00


JOEY DAUBEN
The Ellis County Press
ELLIS COUNTY - The most evident characteristic of a political campaign is the
yard sign.
With the May 3 election just more than a week away, candidates have been
plopping up their colorful yard ornaments all over Ellis County.
Certain signs, however, appear to be in violation of the state's myriad
regulations; the word 'for' must be put on a candidate's sign if he is not the
incumbent.
Candidates can have signs at a certain heighth, length, and depending on city,
only out on certain days before the election.
And the prices for these signs - as this reporter can attest - are not, and were
not cheap; the prices range from $3 for a regular, everyday cardboard sign, to
more than $120 for the 'big' ones.
Of course, there's always the vandalism candidates must worry about; in Wilmer,
north of Ferris, scores of signs have come up painted on, run over, or just came
up missing.
And in Midlothian, a certain reporter's yard sign was plucked up out of the
ground by none other than a little kid in an Easter bunny suit - sure, laugh all
you want.
Just remember to vote Saturday, May 3.