Shelter Island GOP candidates will post no signs: Dems to distribute signs to supporters

Shelter Island Republicans have been using social media and a Reporter letter to the editor in the Sept. 11 print edition to announce their intention to post no political signs around the Island prior to the Nov. 4 election.

“The campaign has been imbued with my vision of being authentic, a return to face-to face interactions,” GOP Chairwoman Julia Weisenberg said. “It’s easy to drop a sign, but it takes more courage to speak.” 

She described the signs as “just visual clutter,” adding, “Signs don’t win elections. People do.”

The Democrats aren’t going to follow the Republican decision, their Committee Chairwoman Catherine Brigham said.

“The Shelter Island Democrats will be distributing lawn signs as they have in past election cycles,” Ms. Brigham said.

Anyone wishing to place a sign on their property can get one at the party’s fundraising event on Sunday at the 1901 Grill at Goat Hill, she said. The event will run from 3 to 5 p.m. Anyone unable to attend, but who would like signs, can reach out to [email protected], she said.

The signs can only be placed on private property with the permission of the property owner and can’t obstruct Highway Department workers from being able to mow the edge of the roadway.

Last year, both parties and independent candidate Lisa Shaw agreed to limit political signs, pledging none would go up until after Labor Day and would be posted only on private property and be removed within 48 hours after Election Day.

There were some violations and there were incidences of signs being stolen from properties.

A letter to the Editor in the Reporter last summer was recommended by Ms. Weisenberg and signed by GOP Chairman Gary Blados and Ms. Brigham.

“As we draw nearer to election time we are excited that the public wants to begin showing support for their respective candidates,” last year’s letter said. “In the spirit of keeping it neighborly and our mutual love of the beauty of this island, all the campaigns/parties have agreed to these parameters about yard signs for the November election.”

The question of the effectiveness of yard signs on an election is largely unanswered. A 2015 study conducted by Columbia University Professor Donald Green found that the signs made a difference, but only by 1 or 2 points in an election, “Hardly earth shattering, but not nothing, either,” the professor reported, adding that in elections that come down to the wire, yard signs could tip the balance to one candidate.

Scott Neuman, writing for National Public Radio, reported on a study done by Vanderbilt University, where political scientists ran an experiment on the effectiveness of yard signs. They created a fictitious candidate, “Ben Griffin,” for a town council seat, and plastered a well-traveled street near a school with signs touting the candidacy of the fake politician. 

“A survey was mailed out a few days later by the school’s Parent Teacher Association asking respondents to list their choices for the county’s at-large council seats,” Mr. Neuman wrote. “Five real candidates were listed along with the fictitious Ben Griffin and another made-up name. Incredibly, nearly a quarter of respondents listed the fictional Ben Griffin among their top three picks.”  

But it’s questionable if a fake sign would fool residents in a town with a small population, such as Shelter Island, where voters know who is seeking office.

Ms. Shaw said when she was notified of the idea during last year’s election cycle, she was all in. “Absolutely,” she said then. Along with Ms. Weisenberg and Ms. Hanley, Ms. Shaw believed “signage is a trend that’s gotten out of hand. I think the public is tired of being assaulted by the signs.”

With all candidates signing on to last year’s policy, Ms. Shaw said she had agreed to delay signage until after Labor Day and to retrieve them within 48 hours after the vote because, “Rather than polarization, we have to reach across the political divide to make decisions.”