Eccentricity

The town. has  a record number of candidates  in this election. At least two new Councillors  must be
elected. A mayoralty contest  brings out the vote. It'a good thing.

Signs were out  weeks before candidate registration closed.

That's not normal.

Not because of. A rule. Not because of  a restriction .Not because of  a prohibition.

Just because it was never done before. No reason .It just never happened.

Maybe because an election didn't start until all the candidates were in the race.

Any citizen is entitled  to be a candidate until the  very hour  registrations closes.

Maybe it goes back to the time when nomination meetings were held . It all happened on  one particular evening.

A nomination with a mover and seconder was written on a form, then transferred  to a blackboard. When the hour arrived candidates had to declare they accepted the nomination. Each  had an opportunity to address the audience . Within  twenty-four hours, a candidate had to attend the clerk in  his office and swear to be who they claimed to be and entitled to vote and be a candidate.

I almost  missed the deadline once. I started my phone campaign  at nine the morning after nomination  and didn't take a break until half an hour before the deadline.

Then I received a phone call to say if you are not here by eight, you are not a candidate.

So....campaigns did not begin until the morning after. Voting day was late in November  The last twelve month term was the one before I was elected.

Signs are the most expensive part of  an election.

In those days they were cardboard. out in the wettest and windiest part of the year. And if course subject to a foot or a fist or  mysterious disappearance. But fewer signs over a shorter time period.

Extravagance in those days would not commend itself.

Norm Weller used to  make his  own massive sign out of plywood.  He used and re-used.it and  erected  the biggest one on top of a truck. where he went the sign went with him.

I  learned to wait until after Halloween. Tricksters had a great time with election signs. A couple of decades  before, the favorite mischief was to tip the backyard privies.

Maintaining signs is labour intensive.  A ign is on private property  is the ultimate. First it's. Declaration of support. Second it's easier to keep track. And it must be maintained.  A broken sign must be replaced and debris promptly  removed


Signs irritate some people the minute they appear and most people by the end of a campaign.

But signs there must be. A campaign is expected. So the challenge is to exercise  good judgement.

Proliferation is a sign of wanton extravagance.  Plastering the place with signs shows a lack of crerespect for the environment.  Damaged signage is litter  and indicates untidiness poor organization. It looks even worse in the wind and  the rain.

So...who ever said election campaigns are easy.Nkne ours had our arms twisted.

It has been said; "You don't have to be crazy but it helps"

We all have our little peccadillos....don't we?