The Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and the Republican Party have spoken out. Candidates for every office, from the Minnesota House of Representatives to the presidency, have been endorsed. Campaigning, which was not yet in full swing before the state convention, will soon be in full swing.
One of the most visible signs of campaign season is literally the signs — signs that appear with increasing frequency in people’s yards as the November general election draws closer. As many Cass County residents know, Minnesota has laws regulating when and where political signs can be put up.
Legal requirements are important: from 28 June this year, for example, people will be allowed to put up political signs in their yards, but they cannot be put up on highway land or without the landowner’s permission.
Are there also community values (such as “Minnesota kindness”) and standards that regulate our behavior as neighbors?
If there is one, there has definitely been a deficiency in recent years (or even before). We have all heard complaints about “the other side” stealing, vandalizing, or defacing “our candidate’s” signs. We have also heard people who support and intend to vote for a candidate, but are not willing to put up a sign in their yard for fear of what their “neighbors” or passersby might do.
Two specific examples from Cass County come from the 2022 election. A family put up a yard sign supporting several Democratic candidates. Within a week, an anonymous letter arrived in the U.S. mail stating that the sign should be taken down because “this area” is Republican. In another situation in another part of Cass County, a voter grew frustrated that her signs supporting Governor Walz were disappearing as fast as they were being put up. Vowing to not let the thieves win, she got a bigger sign, secured its pole with two buckets of cement, and placed the sign in a poison ivy bush. Not thinking that was enough of a deterrent, she smeared the pole and sign with Vaseline and sprinkled glitter all over it. The defense worked. The sign remained up until Election Day (and when she picked up the sign after Election Day, it was a mess because the glitter was still there).
In 2024, I ask Cass County to do better. We don’t have to fear hostile action from our neighbors or passersby. We don’t have to endure anonymous letters containing implicit or explicit threats. We don’t have to plant signs in poison ivy and cover them with Vaseline and glitter.
Instead, disagree with others civilly and respectfully. Put up yard signs or flags that support your candidate. Leave yard signs or flags that support your opponent. Ask your neighbors why they support their candidate of choice and really listen to their answers. Recognize each person’s right to choose and vote according to your conscience.
And, as required by Minnesota law, take down your signs and flags 10 days after the November 5th general election. If your candidate wins, that’s plenty of time to celebrate. If your candidate loses, that’s plenty of time to mourn. Then, go ahead, accept the results, and come together as citizens to support the candidate who won a free and fair election.
