Ellisville Mayoral Candidate: Campaign Signage is Overkill

Editor's Note: Robert Srote is running for Ellisville mayor. Elections are April 3.

Spring is in the air.  Car windows are drawn down, joggers are hitting the streets, cyclists are out in full-force, families are flocking to city parks, kites are floating above the landscape and ... political yard signs are popping up everywhere like fresh flower blossoms, minus their innate beauty.

Despite city ordinances, candidates selfishly position their boldly colored signs at every intersection, sidewalk and median within plain sight of passersbys (often without property owners’ approval) almost as if the assumption is that the candidate with the most yard signs wins. 

What ever happened to grass roots door-to-door campaigning? If your message is conveyed via face-to-face contact with your constituents out on the campaign trail (believe it or not candidates, hard-work will garner votes), is it really necessary to supplement that message, and litter our community, with unattractive yard signs at 25 feet intervals

One former candidate for a City of Ellisville political office mentioned that over 1,000 signs were used to promote a particular campaign.  One campaign posting 1,000 signs in a city just over 4 square miles in area? This election season Ellisville has four candidates for Mayor, two city-council candidates, and various propositions on the ballot. What do you say, 1,000 signs for each cause? Deer overpopulation may be a problem in Ellisville as documented by the Missouri Department of Conservation; however, imagine a wind gust uprooting several political yard signs and tossing them onto Clarkson Road during rush hour.

Candidates, I am flattered that you wish to represent me as Mayor of Ellisville.  Here is a thought, start with enlightening me about your qualifications for the job, your education, and what you intend to do to help improve our region and quality of life. Please tell me about your plan to encourage economic development to sustain and ultimately improve the current level of services offered by our city.  Tell me about your temperament and disposition and whether you have the skill set necessary to listen attentively to others to work with them to achieve community objectives. Finally, if your qualifications, education, personality and goals for our city are consistent with those needed to effectively lead our community, you have my vote. No need to spread your yard signs, like poison ivy, throughout my community, I will remember your name without the constant and unattractive daily reminder.

I, too, am guilty. The first step to solving a problem is acknowledging that one exists. I am a current candidate for Mayor and regretfully admit that I have personally littered our 4 plus square-mile community with a grand total of 15 yard signs (albeit with the property owner’s permission in each offense). Far fewer than my opponents but far more than should be necessary to win an election based on qualifications and grass roots campaigning. Please vote on April 3 and be cautious driving to the polls if strong winds are forecast.