POLITICAL SIGNS OF THE TIMES: NAME ID A MUST

posted by Michael Chihak

Like mushrooms sprouting after heavy rain, political signs are appearing all over Tucson, on the eve of the primary election.

In recent days, a dozen or more "Write in Rick Grinnell" signs popped up downtown, including several stuck into the tree wells in Presidio Park just east of City Hall. Grinnell is a Republican running for mayor.

Signs for Republican Jennifer Rawson also appeared around town, including several downtown. She is challenging incumbent Democrat Paul Cunningham, for the Ward 2 City Council seat to which he was appointed last year. That anticipates their general election matchup in November.

And, along West St. Mary's Road, a big black-and-yellow billboard asks: "Would You Trust 'Payday Joe' Flores?" Then answers: "Didn't think so." Flores is a Democrat challenging incumbent Democrat Regina Romero in Ward 1, and the billboard, paid for by a Democratic committee, alludes to his ties to the payday loan industry.

As signs begin cluttering street corners, supporters' front yards and street medians around town, people ask: Why? Why add to the city's cluttered look? Why don't the candidates spend their resources to get out information about how they stand on the issues?

Two words: Name recognition.

And two more words: Write-in candidate.

Grinnell needs 1,060 write-in votes in the primary election to qualify for the general election ballot.

A curiosity about the signs, as noted by colleague Andrea Kelly: There seems to be a dearth of signs pushing Democrat Jonathan Rothschild's mayoral candidacy. He is, however, the clear leader in bumper stickers.