Local

Despite regulations, campaign signs still littering Charlotte's roads

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Channel 9 found candidate campaign signs are littering Charlotte's roads despite rules requring their removal days ago.
 
Within less than a mile on Independence Boulevard, Channel 9 found more than a dozen signs, most for Senate candidate Mark Harris.
 
Signs for other candidates also littered other areas of east Charlotte and were spotted on Providence Road.
 
"These signs that are out there, they should be out of there by now," said Mecklenburg County Board of Elections Chair Michael Dickerson.
 
Dickerson said under state and local regulations, losing candidates have seven days after the election date to remove all their signs.
 
Each candidate signs a "bond" agreement with the city of Charlotte that includes a payment of $50 and a promise to remove the signs.
 
"They actually post a bond that says we will put these signs out and abide by the law," Dickerson said. "There are the penalties and the punishment that go along with this."
 
Charlotte code enforcement officials said their office regulates signs along city-owned roads, and can impose fines against candidates totaling thousands of dollars if the signs are not removed.
 
City officials said they do actively investigate campaign signs and plan a city-wide sign sweep soon.
 
Along state-owned roads, like US 74, officials said it is up to NCDOT to remove the signs if campaign volunteers do not.
 
When reached by phone, Mark Harris said his staff is working diligently to remove the more than 20,000 signs placed across the state prior to the primary. Harris said he sent an email to all volunteers last Friday, encouraging them to pull up any signs they see.
 
City officials said winning candidates can leave their signs up until the November election.

To see more local news stories, click here.