Ontarians know election season is near when candidate signs appear everywhere they look.
Windsor City Council has decided that people can put them out well in advance of election day.
Councillors considered a motion on Monday night to amend the city's bylaw regarding when candidates can put their campaign signs out. It would have reduced the time frame to 60 days before an election.
Council rejected the motion, leaving the bylaw to stand, allowing people to start putting them out once the candidate has filed to run for office.
The earliest candidates can announce they are running in the Ontario municipal elections this year is May 1, which is set for October 22. A provincial election is set for June 7, and candidates running for the Ontario legislature do not begin campaigning until the writ is dropped, probably in late April or early May.
The motion has been in the works for three years. It was begun by a question posed by Councillor Rino Bortolin in late 2014 on whether a shorter time limit can be imposed.
Some councillors said their constituents have told them that in past elections, the signs have been too much. Others said putting limits on the signs would place newer candidates at a disadvantage.
