Response to election signs at Lake Orion Village Hall
Re: “Time to remove election signs from village, police property for good,” Letters to the Editor, Lake Orion Review, Nov. 16, 2022.
The Nov. 16 edition of The Lake Orion Review published a letter from a village resident stating, “I would like to say that I hope in the future there will be no political signs displayed on the Village Hall and Police Department Property.”
As the individual who put the signs up at that location I am compelled to respond.
First the facts: The signs that I put up were for all of the Republican candidates plus non-partisan Judge Warren, Justice Zahra and locals Jeff Simek and Steven Drakos. The signs were put up Monday evening before the election at about 4 p.m. and were removed Tuesday night after the polls closed.
The signs were legally placed at least 100 feet from the polling place entrance. A team of Orion residents similarly placed the same signs at all 15 polling places in Orion Township on Monday evening and removed them Tuesday after the polls closed.
I cannot take any responsibility for the placement of Democrat signs or their failure to remove them after the election.
It is my First Amendment right to express my support for these candidates. The State of Michigan acknowledges this fact and regulates it with a few stipulations, which most political volunteers happily comply with.
Any attempt to interfere with such right to free expression will be vigorously addressed through our legal system.
Electioneering is part and parcel to democracy. If you have no electioneering, then you have no democracy. Political signs are a critical component of American democracy.
Bill Holt
Orion Twp.
Response to election signs at Lake Orion Village Hall letter added by James Newell on
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The ELECTION has BEEN HELD, the signs are GONE, take the pic. down, let it go. Get something new to post about, like the CHICKEN COUP and the FOX’S coming to LUNCH on the QUIENT VILLAGE of ORION.
My next Garage sale will definitely be advertised at the hall.
Maybe a little less vehemence in the sign placing department. The original letter seemed a bit more civil than the tone of the respondent and Mr Johnstone has a very valid point stating that the signs do nothing more than create name recognition, explaining nothing about a candidate or any reason they may be worth voting for.
Home for sale signs may be next !
I consider these signs as nothing more than litter as they tell you nothing about a candidate other than a name. More importantly, can anyone fill public property and the public right of way with signs whenever they want?