Campaigns Are In Full Swing

     Campaign fliers are being handed out. Voter's e-mail in-boxes are filling up.  Interviews are taking place and a candidate's forum will be held Monday night at town hall.  What's left? 

Campaign lawn signs.

     The placement of these signs can be strategic just like a letter to the editor in the local newspaper during campaign season. 

     Westfield residents woke up this morning to find a third ward candidate's election related lawn sign posted up and down the main arteries that lead into, through, and out of Westfield.  Someone forgot to tell their campaign staff that posting on town owned property is against campaign laws.  TFoTM hopes that these signs don't end up on the school property of our town's elementary schools; another election "no-no."
     One such sign, seen here to the left, was found on the front lawn of the Central Ave. firehouse owned by the Town of Westfield; a campaigning "no-no" in any election.  It was promptly removed by order of Westfield Fire Chief Dan Kelly. 
    
     The fact of the matter is, lawn signs work, to some extent.  First, they alert residents of an upcoming election.  Second, they identify a candidate.  Do they have an impact on who a voter will cast a ballot for?  The fact of the matter is, yes, they do, but not always for the right reasons. 

     A voter that is uninformed of the issues and does not take the time to get past a name on a sign might be inclined to cast their vote for the candidate that has the most signs around their voting ward.  Maybe they will cast a vote for a candidate affiliated with a particular party.....a "party-line" voter.

     TFoTM believes Westfield voters are smarter than that.  The campaign season is in full swing and the candidates are campaigning hard.  On November 8th, the voters will cast their vote to fill three seats on Westfield's Town Council that are up for election.  A fourth seat is up for election but the incumbent is running unopposed.

     TFoTM urges voters to educate themselves on the issues, attend the Town Council Candidates forum open to the public on Monday, October 24th at 8 pm in the courtroom of the municipal building.  Doors open at 7 pm.    

An informal, non-certified poll is being conducted by The Fact of The Matter.  Cast your votes, to the right of our homepage. 

     Know the issues; know where the candidates stand on the issues.  Know who you are voting for on November 8th.   

Update:  Campaigning on school property..........It was only a matter of time.

Jefferson School