Tip List: The election's over, now get rid of those signs

It happens every election year.

In the wake of election day, the detritus of the race fills the streets and yards of Merced. Signs litter the landscape like day-old newspapers. They seem to linger on street corners, already relics.

An anonymous tipster called recently to say the signs need to come down. "They (candidates) have five days, and they are way past due," she said.

Actually, the city's ordinance says campaign signs have to be removed from public and private property 10 days after the election, so that would give them until Friday. Since the signs are the property of the campaigns, they're responsible for removing them.

Mike Conway, the city's spokesman, said the littering sign problem isn't new to this election. "Every time after an election we get this call," he said.

Tip List called all the City Council candidates to check if they plan to have their signs down by the deadline.

Most of the mayoral and council candidates said they have already begun taking down their signs.

Bill Blake said he collected all the signs he could find last weekend. "I would love to know where they are," he said of any remaining signs. He said he's been actively looking and will collect any more that he can find. "I can't find any more that are prominent," he added.

Richard Cervantes said he and his wife will go out this weekend and take down signs not already removed. All his big signs are down already, he said. About 70 percent of others are also down. "We are going to go to try to find them," he added.

Josh Pedrozo said most of his campaign signs have been removed. "I've been collecting them," he said.

Carl Pollard said he's in the process of collecting his signs too. "They'll be taken down," he said.

Mary-Michal Rawling said she'd be surprised to find any more of her signs up. She said she started picking them up right after the election.

Michele Gabriault-Acosta, Rick Osorio and Bill Spriggs couldn't be reached for comment.

What's wrong: Campaign signs from the recent election haven't yet been removed.

What's being done: Candidates say they're in the process of cleaning up their signs.

Tip off the tip list!

If you see something broken or in need of repair in your neighborhood, call the Sun-Star Tip List reporter, Jonah Owen Lamb, with your tips at (209) 385-2484 or e-mail jlamb@mercedsun-star.com.