O'Brien Campaign says no to lawn signs CBC Radio News
Tuesday, August 24, 2010 The fight for the hearts and minds of voters in the Ottawa mayoral race won't be fought on the familiar battleground of your neighbour's lawn this year, with incumbent mayor Larry O'Brien conceding the turf to his rivals. O'Brien's campaign office said this year they won't be producing any yard or lawn signs for supporters to stake their territory, saying instead they will focus on other means of getting their message out. "Lawn signs are old school and very expensive and what do they generate as a result?" asked O'Brien campaign spokesman Mike Patton. "We thought it was time to move on and try different things." Patton said last election the campaign had 500 lawn signs on the front lawns of supporters, but said this election they want to reduce costs and waste. Patton said the mayor's campaign — which will officially begin on Sept. 8 — has $400,000 to work with, and that instead of producing the signs they will put up billboard posters in public places. O'Brien's former chief of staff Walter Robinson said while stumping for a politician with a sign on your lawn is old-fashioned, the signs can be effective. Watson says he'll deliver 1,500 signs"They can show momentum, they can show organization, they're a conversation starter...and when your neighbours put out a lawn sign it shows that people have confidence in a candidate," said Robinson. O'Brien's chief rival Jim Watson is embracing the tradition, and said he'll deliver more than 1,500 lawn signs to residents who've asked for them in the coming week. He said lawn signs represent a more meaningful approach to marketing a candidate. "I'd rather have a lot of signs on private property because the people who own those lawns will vote," said Watson. "If you put a sign on a boulevard or on a public park that doesn't indicate anything except that you have a sign on a public park." Lawn signs are not allowed until 60 days before the day of the election, meaning the first signs will likely appear on Thursday. Source: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2010/08/24/ottawa-obrien-watson-lawn-sign.html?ref=rss#ixzz0xXzdNADv
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