Signs have been a part of campaigning for campus elections for as long as there have been elections, and sign vandalism has been around as long as signs have been. This year is no exception. The Rules and Elections Committee of the Student Senate has already had several problems with sign tampering this year, and has redoubled their efforts to stamp it out.
“We are doing everything we can to ensure that people’s campaign materials stay safe,” said Matt Ezovski, RNE chairman.
The RNE Committee recently voted to issue a reminder to all candidates that tampering with other candidate’s signs is a serious offense and a direct violation of the honor code they signed when they began campaigning. It is not known for certain whether this has been an issue this year, but Ezovski said that the Committee is “considering every possibility,” and decided to remind the candidates of their responsibilities before it became a real problem.
The candidates are not the only ones who have been causing problems, however. Signs have been damaged across campus through a variety of methods, including one in front of Barton Hall that was paint-balled. The building was also hit in this incident. Weather has also been a concern, with wind and rain taking down many signs.
Campaign signage is one of the most heavily regulated parts of the elections process. Candidates have to abide by many rules when advertising themselves, and at least one citation is always issued. This year, the Committee has already voted to sanction one candidate, Michael Robbins. Robbins duct taped several signs to painted surfaces, which invariably causes damage to the surfaces. He has been directed to take down all signs and remove any residue left behind, as well as aid the Committee in post-elections campus cleanup this Friday.
RNE runs patrols across campus throughout campaign weeks in an effort to deter vandalism, and has in the past caught students while they were vandalizing signs. This year, the patrols are continuing, but students have taken it on themselves to watch their signs. Brandon Rudy, a freshman campaigning for Class of 2007 senator, took time out of his schedule to watch his signs on the footbridge.
Ezovski thinks that the threat of vandalism has deterred some of the new candidates from postering in the numbers usually seen on campus, but feels that it should pick up in the next couple days, with the final elections on Friday.
