Signs don't vote

But they sure do bother opposition campaign workers.

In many elections, campaign workers have removed opponents’ lawn signs, ripped posters off of poles, and smashed those planted outside of polling places. Sometimes, they even defaced windows where signs were displayed.

And that’s been going on for years.

The day after I put posters in my window for Republican mayoral candidate Richard Friedman, in 1971, all three of the garbage cans behind my house (actually, my parents’ house) were flattened. So were the cans of our neighbors on either side.

When campaign organizers for Independent 50th ward Aldermanic candidate Ray Cohen left a meeting at a supporter’s home in 1973, they found that the car top signs on all of their vehicles had been stolen.

Signs may not vote but they seem to be pretty threatening messengers.