39 replies to this topic

[Wayne Hollohan]

In the last 72 hours all but one, of all my fixed 4 foot by 4 foot signs have been either stolen, or destroyed. This includes the few replacement signs I put up yesterday.

On the corner of Moss and Rockland the complete sign disappeared wood frame and all, I drove around could not find any trace of the frame or sign.

Both signs on the corner of Cook and Fairfield were vandalized, requiring replacement and a fourth at Fairfield and Moss. Last night at the All Candidates I was informed my signs in James Bay have been destroyed. With a limited personal budget there will be no more replacements.

With 35 council candidates we are not being able to speak at most all candidates meeting. You’re lucky if you get a couple lines in the press during the whole campaign and now one of the only alternative means to get your name out there has been destroyed. It feels like some kind of fraternity initiation. Add on top of that the daunting task of being expected to knock on all 30,143 doors in the city of Victoria. No wonder some of a our city councilors have been there for 10 to 20 years, its nearly imposable to apply for the job.

Hope your day is going better

PS: I was standing on the corner the other day handing out my pamphlets. A few feet down on the other side of the sidewalk was a person sitting on the ground with their hat out looking for spare change. After two and a half hours the amount of money he made was greater than the cost of the pamphlets I handed out. There was something terribly wrong with the whole picture. "Why am I" kept running through my head.

I guarantee you, if and when I get on council, people running for council in the future will have proper venues to apply for the job. I’ll give each candidate a 4 by 4 or 4 by 8 place in Centennial Square to display their platforms and times throughout the day where people can come and speak to the candidates. Our city busses will remind everybody when the election is and encourage people to vote. Finally if it’s legally permissible I would support Rob Reid’s offer to host a block party for the community that has the greatest percentage increase in voter turnout.

See you all tonight

Wayne Hollohan

[mat]

Wayne - it is a great shame when any candidate's signs are vandalized or destroyed, and there are laws against such activity. I noticed some signs in Saanich that had been spray painted. Not sure what they can do but advising the police would at least put the issue on their radar.

[VicHockeyFan]

Ya, it truly is very lame, wrecking/stealing signs.

[Joseph]

I heard a couple candidates joking the other night about erecting barbed-wire fencing around their signs. It's a little too close to the truth to be funny, though, and I'm pretty sure whoever it is that eventually finds an effective alarm system for election signs will be a millionaire within a year.

As for me, I'm still trying to design a sign that can be 'locked' into the ground.

[Caramia]

That's just ignorant. I've heard the same from other people's campaigns. I know these things aren't cheap to make. Sorry to hear it Wayne.

[VicHockeyFan]

I just saw a guy on CNN that attached a cow-bell to the bottom of his.

[RichardPark]

Hi Wayne,

I have had the same thing occur. Out of 15 signs I have put up, only 6 remain. 4 of them, I was able to find my sign, but the metal was stolen. I am assuming it was stolen for the scrap metal.

I feel your pain, as a student I am on an extremely limited budget and each sign that disappears is money out of my campaign budget.

I am wondering if we can do anything to prevent this from occurring.

Cheers,
Richard Park
Council Candidate for Victoria
www.richardpark.ca

[Caramia]

Hi Richard! Welcome to VV!

[Ms. B. Havin]

Wow, that's pretty bad. Sorry to hear it -- and your PS, Wayne, is certainly interesting:

PS: I was standing on the corner the other day handing out my pamphlets. A few feet down on the other side of the sidewalk was a person sitting on the ground with their hat out looking for spare change. After two and a half hours the amount of money he made was greater than the cost of the pamphlets I handed out. There was something terribly wrong with the whole picture. "Why am I" kept running through my head.

[mat]

Section 262 of the Act states that it is an offence to take down, remove, cover up, mutilate, deface or alter any printed advertisement, placard, poster or banner having reference to the election of a candidate without authority.

from Elections Canada.

Not sure if the above applies to Municipal elections - or even Provincial. There are news stories out of the US of people whose lawn signs have been repeatedly stolen, and have installed cameras to try and catch the culprits.

[Sue Woods]

With 35 council candidates we are not being able to speak at most all candidates meeting. You’re lucky if you get a couple lines in the press during the whole campaign and now one of the only alternative means to get your name out there has been destroyed.

How disappointing. The problem is also compounded by the civic election spanning the Halloween season with all the vandalism that goes along with that. As for getting our names out - I agree that candidate meetings are a blur with 35 candidates and just a few minutes each.

I am however finding it interesting how many email questionairres I am (we are) are recieving with offers to send our answers out to varius organization's members and/or posted on their web site. I cannot imagine how anyone can do without a web site and email but some seem to be.

(PS: I will not be at meeting this evening so hope someone will post a review.)

[Holden West]

That's terrible. I've seen some of the Federal election plastic signs being used here by homeless candidates.

[Sue Woods]

That's terrible. I've seen some of the Federal election plastic signs being used here by homeless candidates.

Yes, I have as well. Not sure if they are from the recent federal or current civic campaign - as they all look the same.

I have seen five of them this week around the corners of Pandora/Quadra, Yates/Cook streets. The civic candidate has used the metal frames and turned the banners inside out (I think, or added some kind of plastic) and written their name with a felt marker. Seems like a good case for being disqualified, unless they can prove they purchased the posts.

[Caramia]

The signs say Dobbs.

[Sue Woods]

The signs say Dobbs.

mispelling I think.

[Caramia]

Right! oops!

[Bernard]

I would advice all the candidates in all regions to take down their big signs Thursday and put them back up Sunday am.

Election sign stealing and wrecking is very common in all elections, though normally not as much of an issue in a local election.

Normally smaller signs on people's lawns survive better than big ones on big streets. Prankster/hoodlums seem to respect ones on private property more. In federal and provincial elections misguided partisan supporters will go after any sign of someone they hate.

[ted - 3 - dots]

I would advice all the candidates in all regions to take down their big signs Thursday and put them back up Sunday am.

Election sign stealing and wrecking is very common in all elections, though normally not as much of an issue in a local election.

Normally smaller signs on people's lawns survive better than big ones on big streets. Prankster/hoodlums seem to respect ones on private property more. In federal and provincial elections misguided partisan supporters will go after any sign of someone they hate.

----- Is it possible ,

some people are angry @ the fact that you people think you can put your signs, on PUBLIC property...??????????? ( like a tent-city - tarp )

( look at the financial-gain YOU PERSONALLY make , by being elected )

I'd look towards the MLM people ...! ( lose weight , or work from home ) types ...!

ted... ( why do you think you can use "public-property" for your personal gain ) ....?

>>> how can you say it's "partisan-supporters" when all of the political-parties the sign's are kicked down ...?

as you suggest above ....! ( keeping you sign-age confined to Privet-Property )
is good idea


;{-


I'm growing tired of setting them back - up ( is cooth a word ...? )

ie: try some respect for public-property ...?

( and yes,,, I'm one of those people who stand the sign's back-up again )

why ...?

[Sue Woods]

An article today in Monday Mag re: missing election signs, candiates, and Vibrant Victoria, Cheers Sue

Signs of the Times

By: John Threlfall 10/29/2008
City-council candidates struggle to get the word out.

With the municipal election field already crowded—35 people running for Victoria city council alone, the most since 1999’s civic election—and all-candidates meetings that often fail to offer any meaningful dialogue, how can candidates get their message out? Pamphlets, door-knocking and roadside signs are the traditional methods, but what if those signs repeatedly get torn down? Ask Victoria city-council candidate Wayne Hollohan, who has had 13 curbside signs defaced, stolen or destroyed during the past week.

“I’ve been gearing up for this since the last election and just want a fair shot at it,” says Hollohan, who also ran for council in the 2002 election. “It’s very difficult and frustrating; all I want is two minutes of airtime somewhere to say this is who I am, this is what I’d like to do—but you just don’t have that many opportunities. And the all-candidates meetings are supposed to be a good venue to actually speak to people, but we’re not even getting the chance to speak anymore.”

It’s a complaint you’ll hear from many of those passionate about politics these days. Despite an online shift that has opened up new avenues of discussion—vibrantvictoria.ca is a leading local option, as well as the various pages bouncing around the blogosphere—issues like ineffectual forums and voter apathy are still impacting the current crop of candidates, and may help solidify a victory for the five incumbent councillors seeking a return to City Hall.

“Connecting with voters is a challenge for municipal candidates,” agrees candidate John Luton, who is running for both city council and CRD director. “We had the federal campaign drowning out any competing information, so there was little media coverage of municipal candidates. Some of the issues—particularly homelessness and housing—muscled their way into the collective consciousness, but most of the attention around the issue has been restricted to those running for mayor.”

Not that that’s stopping the more determined in the field. “With 35 candidates, you just have to do it smarter,” says candidate and CFAX host Susan Woods. “I’m going to all the meetings and activities in the community that I can make it to, but I’m also participating in Vibrant Victoria—which has been fabulous because it gives me the opportunity to post things but also to dialogue with people and see what their concerns are. The web is a new stage for local government now; if people aren’t web-based, they’re missing out on that whole conversation.”

Current candidate and former city councillor Pieta VanDyke doesn’t put much faith in the online component, however. “I’m occasionally on Vibrant Victoria, but I don’t think there’s all that many people there, to tell you the truth.” VanDyke, who was in office from 1987-90, prefers to take her message to voters directly. “I’m knocking on doors and meeting people, forming relationships on the street. People are always happy to talk.”

Luton, who has taken his campaign not only door-to-door but also to Dallas Road and, over the next two weekends, into local bike shops, admits it remains a challenge. “Council candidates face a struggle getting some attention or connecting with individual voters,” he says. “At all-candidates meetings, those of the 35 candidates who show up get a minute or two to present. We do better at meeting and greeting individual voters at the door, or as has been the case at a couple of events, engaging through a trade-fair setup where we can pass out material and talk to voters one-on-one.”

Then there’s the question of money. “It’s pretty expensive to run a campaign,” says VanDyke (who describes herself as “independent but working with some of the other candidates”). “It’s $5,000 for a mail-out, for example, and if you can share that cost with other people, it makes a big difference.”

Luton also feels finances can play their part in determining election outcomes. “Municipal campaigns draw fewer dollars and volunteers than the bigger, more organized federal and provincial party efforts do.”

And for his part, Hollohan is already feeling the pinch of running his own campaign. “I budgeted about $4,500 and I’m now well over $10,000,” he says, noting the destroyed signs alone have cost him over $1,000. “And it’s difficult to compete when you have a Green Party and a backdoor NDP party supporting campaigns, financially and by other means.”

Woods—who has been introducing herself to voters as “fiercely independent”—feels such party politics have no place in municipal elections. “City Hall is absolutely not the place for partisan politics,” she says. “It’s time for some changes in Victoria, it’s time for some new ideas and innovation, more open and transparent decisions, and more stewardship of our city. We’re growing very quickly and I think it’s caught everybody off-guard.”

While committed to his campaign, Hollohan is clearly feeling the strain. “I can see why incumbents stay in for such a long period of time,” he sighs. “You’re up against really well-known entities and you don’t get the venues to campaign; you’re lucky if you get one line or your name in the newspaper during the whole course of the election.”

[ted - 3 - dots]

An article today in Monday Mag re: missing election signs, candiates, and Vibrant Victoria, Cheers Sue

---------- I'd really like to cut - up parts of what you quoted below ----------

( but I can't do that right now , maybe I'll try later )


Signage ...? ( are people kicking down signs on privet-property ...? )
or is it just public property ...? ( ie: "kicked to the curb" ,,, because it's on the curb ...? )


------- door knocking ...? ----------

I might-not vote for you because you knocked on my door....!

but then again , you knocked on my door ...?????

(perhaps Petra needs to fallow the leader )

A a mass-mailing ??????????? makes me worry about our forests...!
( ya , I sell a newz-paper that is printed on re-cycled-paper, using vegetable ink ...! )

you figure it out


-------- money ...? ---------

if your running for city-council , "have-ing the money " , loses my vote...!

YES , I Know .....!!!!!!!!!!!!

but in term's of MY-VOTE , money get's you a last place vote ....!
(the more money ,,,? the further down the list you go )


-------- Bottom line ----------

Plastic signage on public land ,
with-out the support for homeless people ....?????????????


Hey , with-out people like myself
your sign's on public land , will remain flattened ........!!!!!!!!! (so don't blame me )
( i try to stand the thing's up when i see them )

Respect , is all I'm saying ....


(Even if you don't get elected , you got 15 week's of radio - programs to do )
don't worry ...!

and like most people on VV , you got my vote already .
( so don't worry about that ... ! )



ted... ( like you , I'm just waiting to see what happen's next )


what worries me the most Sue , is this
that there are the people who have no oppion in either direction...!!!!!

;{-


so groove on buddy

.
.
.
Ps,

don't spend the money if you don't have to ...!
(trust your nose ) .... remember peter-parker ,
and how he knew when to take a photo & write a report ...