Tulsans Trained By City To Pick Up Campaign Signs

Someone is picking up campaign signs in Tulsa and the candidates can't do anything about it.

This close to an election, Tulsa's intersections are usually packed with campaign signs but this time, there are very few.

There's a reason.

Tulsa's street corners and roadsides are almost clear of campaign signs and it's because of a change that encourages people to pick up signs they find in the right of way.

"There's no candidate that can put signs up in the right of way and have them up more than a day. So, we're having to find other ways to do it," said State House Candidate Dan Hicks. 

Hicks is a veteran of campaigns when signs just go up just about anywhere.

“And so it's a different rule, a different set of rules, but we're following the rules and getting our name out,” Hicks said.

Candidates can put signs up in yards or on fences with permission and it's forcing more door to door contact with voters.

"No I can't remember we let anyone put a sign up here," said Peggy Rocket. 

But once someone asked, Peggy Rockett agreed.

“There's been some comments, people asking if I wanted anyone to know who I voted for, and I said you bet,” Rockett said. 

The change came out of City Councilor Phil Lakin's personal gripe about so many signs of all kinds along Tulsa's streets.

"I see many signs during the day, and I go back to try and pick them up at night and they're already gone," Lakin said. 

He's one of 64 volunteers trained by the city who have picked up an estimated 3,000 signs since April 1st.

"So I'm really grateful to have other people out who are certified by the city to remove the signs or just following the law which allows them to remove the signs in they're within about 12 [feet] of the roadway," Lakin said. 

That is roughly the guideline, about 12 feet from the curb.

The city has a waiting list for volunteers and plans another round of classes this fall.