Election reminders everywhere

Michael J. Mishak

Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2006 | 7:36 a.m.

After the barrage of negative ads, phone calls and campaign mailers, most Nevadans are eager to kiss this political season goodbye.

But they may have to wait awhile before the most visible reminder of a bitter election fades from the desert landscape.

A week after the election, hundreds of campaign signs are still up across the Las Vegas Valley, some dating from the August primary.

In most cases, candidates on last week's ballot in Southern Nevada have until Nov. 22 to remove their political signs.

In Las Vegas, North Las Vegas and unincorporated Clark County, local ordinances give candidates 15 days after the general election to remove their campaign signs. Losing primary candidates also have a 15-day window.

Violators receive a written warning, which could be followed by a fine, ranging from $75 to $1,000. Local code enforcement officials in all three jurisdictions, though, could not recall fining a candidate in recent memory for failing to remove political signs.

Generally, candidates have complied with the law, they said.

"It probably looks like a problem after the campaign," said Mary Ann Price, a spokeswoman for Las Vegas' Neighborhood Services Department.

"But nobody wants the signs up after the fact, because if they're elected it's just one more thing for people to jump on. If a candidate is looking for a political career, they're not looking to violate an ordinance."

Joe Boteilho, chief of code enforcement for Clark County, agreed. As of Monday, many candidates had already taken down the bulk of their campaign signs, he said.

"We've had pretty good luck in the county," he said. "Candidates don't want to be in a position where they're involved in a criminal case."

In North Las Vegas, city crews remove signs after the 15-day deadline. Costs are defrayed in part by the $25 fee candidates pay to post campaign signs, said city spokeswoman Brenda Johnson. The city is set to mail a reminder letter today to those candidates with signs still posted, she said.

Henderson is even stricter, giving candidates just five days to remove political signs.

"The political season is over and the residents in our community are ready to be free of the political signage," city spokeswoman Cindy Herman said.

This year, city officials are cutting candidates some slack, allowing them until next Monday to pick up their signs.

Because its timeline differs from that of surrounding jurisdictions, Henderson may consider extending its deadline in the future, said Greg Blackburn, the city's manager of inspection services, which handles code enforcement.

"We see the challenge that candidates face," Blackburn said.

Some candidates are unaware of where their volunteers post signs, he said. Others hire contractors who do not comply with local deadlines.

Metro officer Laurie Bisch, who ran for sheriff and finished third in the August primary, is a case in point. She said Monday that she is still getting calls about her signs in recent weeks.

"You try to get them all," Bisch said. "But you're always going to miss a few."