Municipal election candidates can now put their signs up earlier in the Town of Essex.
The new bylaw extends the period signs can be up before the election from 21 days to 45 days.
The bylaw didn't pass without some debate with councillors Randy Voakes and Ron Rogers voting against the change.
Voakes says he's opposed to what he calls "sign trash".
"The signs get knocked over, graffiti on them. It's just that 45 days is a long time to have election signs. If you've got a strong campaign and you can have people out there everyday following up and making sure the the neighbourhoods are kept neat and tidy, then so be it, but that's not the case."
He says signs aren't nearly as important as they were in the past.
"I have no quarrel with people expressing themselves on the candidate they support. With the opportunities that are out there today with Facebook and Twitter and Instagram and all those social media opportunities, signs are somewhat redundant. We just went through a provincial election, you saw it out there, it was deplorable. Signs all over the place."
Councillor Randy Voakes outside of Essex Town Hall. August 31, 2017 (Photo by AM800's Teresinha Medeiros)
Voakes says more responsibility should be on the candidate to keep their signs in good order.
"What I have the problem with is the maintenance of the signs. I've got no problem with people, if they support somebody, that's fine, but I have a problem with candidates who don't take the onus upon themselves to make sure that they're being kept in a good, visible order if you will."
The new bylaw will also give candidates more time to clean up their signs after the election.
That period of time has been extended from three to five days.
The municipal election goes October 22, 2018.