From Dave Searles

Brodhead

To the Editor: 

State law requires that all political signs be removed within seven days of an election. There are still Trump signs up in yards. State law also requires that political signs not be put up until 45 days before an election. There are a number Trump signs around town that have been up since the 2020 campaign began.  

The City of Brodhead must enforce state law and see that all Trump signs are removed.

Brodhead also needs to ban 4x8 political billboard signs. They are ridiculous and tacky when placed downtown and in yards. Most communities prohibit them. The 4x4 signs are large enough. Billboard signs belong in farm fields or on the side of a farm building. 

Also, political yard signs do not belong in terraces, the public right-of-way. This is neutral territory. I do not put up signs in terraces between sidewalks and streets. When someone puts up a Democratic sign in a terrace, I educate them so that they do not belong in the terrace. I have also done with some concerning Republican signs. Most do not realize this.  

For the first time this year, since Republicans have kept signs up before the primary in the spring, some since 2020, the Democratic Party authorized that signs could stay up after the August primary instead of them being taken down and not put them back up until after September 15.  

Of the Democratic signs I put up this campaign, about half were destroyed or stolen by MAGA Republicans and I had to replace them, if I had replacements. Some yards twice and one yard three times. I could have had signs up in twice as many yards as I did if so many Democrats were not concerned about their health and safety, that of their family and their property from the rabid MAGA Republicans in town. There are a number of them in their 30s to 70s that just cannot control themselves. As it was, there were those that had Democratic signs that were harassed. Obscenities were shouted at them and me. There were homeowners that were harassed multiple times, some having young children that had to endure vial language.  

Please ban the 4x8 billboard signs, enforce keeping political signs out of terraces between sidewalks and streets and allow political signs only within 45 days of an election and must come down within seven days after an election.