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Residents raise concerns about campaign signs at municipal polling site; board cites 100-foot rule
Summary
Residents complained about visible campaign signs during early voting at a municipal parking lot; town officials said they followed the 100-foot perimeter requirement and clarified polling oversight falls under the town clerk.
Residents who voted early at a municipal polling site complained that campaign signs in the parking lot made them uncomfortable while waiting in line, and board members discussed whether the municipal lot should be used for political campaigning during voting hours.
Chair (Speaker 1) said he received complaints and would prefer that the municipal parking lot not be used for political advertising while people are waiting to vote. "I don't think there should be any political advertising," Chair (Speaker 1) said. Committee member (Speaker 3) replied that the signage was placed beyond the legal buffer: "had to be outside of the 100 foot perimeter, which we we adhere to, and that's the law." Clerk (Speaker 5) added that polling operations are managed by the town clerk's office and that the practice of leaving signs beyond the 100-foot mark had been discussed with bipartisan Board of Elections commissioners.
Board members discussed differences between parks (where signs are not allowed) and designated polling sites, and agreed to explain to the public that the town followed the 100-foot requirement. No ordinance change was adopted during the session; Chair said he would raise the possibility of a local rule restricting use of municipal parking lots for campaign signs in future meetings.
