Candidates recycle old campaign signs

For the 2007 elections, Chapel Hill Town Council candidate Penny Rich had a friend design her sign to have her name encircled in brown, resembling a penny.

“You can’t be named Penny and not use it,” Rich said.

Those same signs are out again this year.

Rich is one of several candidates for local government positions who decided to use the signs she has left over for November’s election, rather than use campaign funds for new ones.

“It’s important for someone who is a challenger to stand out,” said Rich, who has 92 signs around town.

For candidates using public financing through the voter-owned elections program, reusing signs could save money only if the cost was less than $100, said Amy Strange, campaign finance compliance specialist at the N.C. State Board of Elections.

All candidates have to report reused campaign materials.

Jacquelyn Gist, a Carrboro alderman running for reelection, said in her 20 years on the board she has only ordered new signs three times.

“I’ve used them and used them,” Gist said.

After the elections, Gist said she goes and picks up all the signs so she can use them for the next election.

Gist and Carrboro Alderman Randee Haven-O’Donnell, also running for reelection, said the only change they have made on their signs is adding the word “reelect.”

“It’s critical to create an environment so your constituency can be reacquainted with you,” Haven-O’Donnell said.

Chapel Hill Town Council member Laurin Easthom, who is using some of her old campaign signs, said she thinks signs are more important for those who are not incumbents.

“It’s not going to make or break an election,” Easthom said. “Signs are one part of the campaign.”

Not everyone will be using the same signs as last time.

Will Raymond, who is running for Town Council for the second time, will be getting new signs with a different design.

Raymond has not put out any signs yet, he said.

“I never want to start cluttering up town early,” he said.

Sign prices vary depending on the amount and can range between 50 cents and $3.50 per sign, he said.

But even the priciest signs don’t impress everyone.

“I just tune them out,” Kieron James, a Chapel Hill resident, said.

He said he thinks that a sign should have more than just a picture and name. A good sign will encourage him to look into the candidate, he said.

Junior Daniel Marchon said reusing signs reflects well on the candidate.

“In today’s economy, its really responsible to recycle,” Marchon said.

Matt Pohlman, a first-time Town Council candidate, made putting up his signs a family affair. His wife and two young sons got up at 6 a.m. to help him put up between 150 and 175 signs around Chapel Hill.

But Pohlman said he thinks the election should be more about the issues.

“I’d like to think signs are not important,” he said.


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