Signs of the times: Group seeking to recycle campaign signs

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign ...

Now that voters have spoken candidates are responsible for removing campaign signs cluttering up roadsides and intersections.

But where to they end up?

The Blue Wave Maryland Coalition, a consortium of politicos organized to push Democratic candidates over the top, thinks it’s a good idea to recycle them.

In Anne Arundel three locations have been set to collect signs and they are beginning to pile up.

“We will keep the signs for winning candidates, if the want, so they can reuse them next time,” said John Wells, of Blue Wave Maryland. “And we will repurpose or recycle losers signs.”

The idea jelled Wednesday as campaigns began removing signs.

“The signs must be removed by 8 a.m. Wednesday morning, that is in the law,” said Joe Torre, director of the Anne Arundel County Board of Elections.

Many have been removed, closest to polling places. But there is still a good load of signs along roadways and clustered at intersections around the county.

“We are collecting signs from all Democrats, whether they won or lost,” Wells said.

“If they won we will store them for future use. If they lost we will reuse them.”

After thinking a minute Wells changed his tune. “We’ll take Republican signs too. We’d love to recycle Republican signs.” One possible reuse is in classrooms. “Maryland teachers are already cooperating, the signs are great to use for art projects,” Wells added.

The plan is to get county central committees to work with Blue Wave Maryland to collect and store the signs as people figure out how to distribute them for later use. The organization will be working with educators and civic groups to distribute signs for alternative uses.

So far, Anne Arundel and Montgomery County are on board.

In Anne Arundel signs are being collected at Maryland Democratic Headquarters , 275 West St. and at two other locations thus far.

Wells is putting his, well, yard where his mouth is and allowing a drop off at his house, 11 Tucker St. in West Annapolis.

Area activist Philip Ateto, also known for lighting up the side of the State House and other spots with direct political messages, has agreed to collect signs at his home at 1800 Poplar Ave. in Annapolis.

In Montgomery two locations on Seven Locks Road are set up, including Congressional candidate David Trone headquarters.

PAT FURGURSON / CAPITAL GAZETTE What to do with all those campaign signs? One group is recycling them. This cluster was still up on the Broadneck peninsula on Thursday.