Campaign signs getting the ax

Karen Abowd took care of it Thursday and John McKenna was out there the day before that.

"I just feel an urgency to get out there and get them down," said Abowd, one of two newly elected Carson City supervisors whose campaign signs, along with hundreds of others, dotted the streets of the capital city this election season. "I always feel like after the election's over people are sick of looking at them."

Since April, campaign signs have been sprouting up from the city landscape. Despite the final ballots being cast Tuesday, residents may see the signs for weeks to come.

"They must be removed by Dec. 1,"

said Scott Magruder, spokesman for the Nevada Department of Transportation. The state owns much of the roadside property upon which many signs are staked.

City law gives candidates even less time.

"Political signs shall be removed by the candidate within 14 days after the election has been held," reads the Carson City Municipal Code.

It's the same code that notes garage sale signs must be removed within 24 hours of sale. Any person found in violation of any sign regulation could be convicted of a misdemeanor and sentenced up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.

McKenna, also a newly elected supervisor, said he isn't a big fan of signs.

"I don't know that they are effective, but you've got to do them," he said. "I hate them."

He was out the day after the election collecting the 10 he'd strategically placed around town.

And re-elected Assessor Dave Dawley also took to the streets on Wednesday to collect his signs.

"I hate that the signs are out there. I hate the way it looks," he said. "And more importantly, I want to put this election cycle behind me and to get back to work."