ELIZABETHTOWN — This past election, North Country residents were bombarded with political proclamations.

The campaign paraphernalia included recorded phone messages, political ads on radio and television, mailings and literally thousands of signs sprouting up along roadsides.

That came along with the usual meet-the-candidate nights, forums and debates.

Though the "robo calls" seemed to irritate people the most, the sight of political signs lining the roadways offended plenty of people, too.

So the question is: Do signs help?

SKIPPING SIGNS
While it would take a major exit poll to determine the effectiveness of the signs, several local candidates who posted signs lost by large amounts to opponents who decided not to have their names emblazoned along the roadways.

Those not posting tended to be incumbents.

In Elizabethtown, three of the four candidates for Town Council seats — incumbents Joe Martin and Kenneth Fenimore, as well as Angel Marvin — chose not to erect signs.

On Election Day, they all outpolled Margaret Bartley, the one candidate who had erected signs.

Several Essex County supervisors running for re-election chose not to use signs. Among them was Daniel Connell of Westport, who handily defeated two opponents who posted signs throughout the town.

"I did not put up signs because it was a local town election," Connell said recently. "I've been in office for 10 years as a councilman and supervisor. I did go door to door to talk to people. I got to about 80 percent of the registered voters.

"I believe people liked the opportunity to talk to me, and they had questions (that) I could directly answer. This gave me a better idea of what the people wanted."

Willsboro Supervisor Lori Lincoln-Spooner also decided not to utilize signs, though in her last election, the local Republican Party had printed some with her name.

"I had a call from a local resident who said no one knew I was running and urged me to put up signs," she said of this year's re-election bid.

"I decided not to have signs, as I feel they are very messy, and I felt uncomfortable asking landowners to post them."

Lincoln-Spooner decided to donate what the sign cost would have been to three local churches.

Apparently, her record was good enough, as she easily won re-election.

NAME RECOGNITION
There are more political signs on the road sides these days than in the past, according to Dr. Tom Konda of Plattsburgh State's Political Science Department. He attributes this primarily to the fact that they have become cheaper to produce, due to computerization and materials such as foam board.

"I believe they are good for name recognition," Konda said. "It's the easiest way to get your name out there. People drive down the highways and see the signs. In many races around here, many voters don't know who the incumbent is, let alone the challenger."

As for colors, some studies have shown that blue may be the best color, as it is perceived as a "solid citizen," while red is "daring" and green concerns the environment, Konda said.

He pointed out that when a candidate has a long last name, the first name is used more, as in the case of Dierdre "Dede" Scozzafava.

Konda suggested that signs posted in front yards "might be taken more seriously, as they show real support," rather than those shoved in the ground in intersections or long stretches of highways.

STATE RULES
Each region for the New York State Department of Transportation seems to have its slight variation on rules for political signage. Political signs are categorized as temporary signs and may remain in the state's right-of-way up to three days after the event has occurred.

But DOT says the signs:

  Can't be placed on the right-of-way of any controlled-access or expressway-type road.

  Should not present any operational problems for workers to maintain the roadside, such as mowing.

  Should not cause a sight-distance problem or interfere with safe traffic movement in any area, including intersections.

  Should not be placed in a median or traffic island-type area where they are a distraction.

If temporary signs of any kind are placed in any of these areas and cause problems, DOT can remove them.

LOCAL ORDINANCES
Many towns have their own rules governing political signs.

The Town of Plattsburgh is similar to most others in requiring that signs be erected no longer than 45 days before the election and be removed within three days after.

"We try to give them until the following Monday after the election to remove the signs," Town of Plattsburgh Code Enforcement Officer Steve Imhoff said. "It seems that 98 percent of the signs are removed right away."

He said that removal of signs in the front yard of a residence is up to the property owners.

Elizabethtown Supervisor Noel Merrihew said his town's policy is basically governed by "loose language. Generally, the public right-of-way is a no man's land."

Signs are not permitted on town property, such as parks and the golf course. However, there was a proliferation of them on the corner of the town-owned Cobble Hill Golf Course.

"It (the sign placements) got way out of hand," Merrihew said about that site, as well as a cluster placed at the bottom of the hill that intersects routes 9 and 9N.

E-mail Alvin Reiner at: rondackrambler@yahoo.com