The Town of View Royal has voted to enforce a ban on election signs on public property ahead of the provincial election in October.
The new rules state that an election sign cannot be placed on town public land or town-owned equipment, buildings and structures.
Signs are still permitted on private property, no sooner than 30 days before the last voting day and removed within 48 hours after the last day of voting.
The motion by Coun. Alison Mackenzie to amend the election procedures bylaw was officially passed at a meeting on July 16. Councillors John Rogers and Gery Lemon voted against the changes.
It is hoped that the ban will reduce “sign pollution” in the town and encourage candidates to use more creative methods to campaign for votes.
“I am proud that we have selected to go without signs and I am interested in what feedback we get from the public,” said Mayor Sid Tobias in a statement to Goldstream News Gazette.
A similar proposal to ban “eyesore” election signs on public property was rejected by by the Township of Esquimalt in June.
Esquimalt councillors argued that a ban would give incumbents an advantage over new candidates. It was also argued that signs help raise awareness of an election and without them, voter turnout could be impacted.
“There have been good arguments on both sides, however ... Coun. Alison MacKenzie and I both ran without signs and placed very well as first time candidates,” said Tobias. “The research appears split on whether signs make a difference in today's digital age. Not having signs printed and ultimately disposed of is of course better for the environment, there are always complaints about sign pollution during campaigns and you can't really find out much about a candidate from just a sign.”
The District of Oak Bay banned election signs on public property in 2017.
