From the looks of it, election season is already getting heated, but officials with Lafayette Consolidated Government aren't too happy about it, namely the recent flood of campaign signs showing up throughout the city.
From the looks of it, election season is already getting heated, but officials with Lafayette Consolidated Government aren't too happy about it, namely the recent flood of campaign signs showing up throughout the city.
According to a report by the Daily Advertiser, the problem is a city ordinance that states campaign signs can only be put up 90 days before balloting begins. Since early voting doesn't start until Oct. 21, candidates aren't technically supposed to begin putting up signs until July 23.
LCG Zoning Manager Jim Parker tells the Advertiser that the problem candidates are City Marshal Nicky Picard and his opposition Brian Pope, and District Attorney Mike Harson and his challenger Keith Stutes.
Letters were sent to all four, says Parker, yet so far, the only candidate willing to comply is Picard, who says he's already started the process of removing his signs.
"I took mine down," says Picard. "If you can't abide by the law, you can't enforce it. I'm not going to put myself above the law."
Yet, his opposition Brian Pope doesn't see it that way, telling the Advertiser, "I don't have anything planned right now."
For Harson, his decision will be based off of his challenger, former Assistant District Attorney Keith Stutes, who says he considers LCG's ordinance to be constitutionally faulty.
"We have sent a letter to LCG outlining our concerns about the constitutionality and clarity of the ordinance," writes Stutes in an email to the Advertiser. "We are awaiting their response."
In the meantime, city officials are awaiting a decision on whether they'll enforce the ordinance, which could mean up to 30 days in jail and/or a fine of up to $100.
Read the full article here.