Signs of the times

Now that the primary election is over, it’s time for the candidates who lost to pick up all their political signs that are no longer needed.

There are plenty of those scattered up and down roadways, at intersections, in front of businesses and in other places throughout Pottawatomie and Lincoln Counties.

I can see that those remaining candidates who are to be on the ballot for the Nov. 3 general election need to and most likely will leave them up. But there are still signs up for candidates who lost June 30 and didn’t even make the Aug. 25 runoff primary.

Although I’ve never had the desire to seek a political office, and don’t ever intend to, I admire those who muster the strength and courage to step up and do so.

Being in the business I am in and have been in for 53 years, I chose and still choose to write about those who seek and are in office rather than run for office myself.

It’s obviously disappointing for those who run and are not successful, especially if the race is close maybe like a couple of those who were in the runoff primary a little over a week ago.

Those candidates who lost need to assemble their volunteers and gather the signs up and either dispose of them or save the signs for future campaigns.

It’s been several years ago, but I had a friend who resides in the Bethel Acres area contact me with what I think and believe is a creative idea on how candidates can get their signs picked up pretty quickly and be charitable at the same time.

The candidates can contact youth organizations like the FFA, 4-H, youth groups from churches, the Boy Scouts, Girls Scouts, a booster club, a civic group, or any similar volunteer organization and for a small donation can have those signs gathered up.

The kids can take the place of normal volunteers who may not want to bother with it and earn some money for their group to use on a project or two they are planning. To me, that’s creative.

It will be serving more than one purpose. The signs will get gathered up much quicker than they are now and it will be benefitting some worthy organization.

Candidates really should give strong consideration to this idea.

Regardless of how candidates do it, they just need to get it done.

Not in a month or two but now.

Otherwise, those unneeded signs could still be up a year from now.