Disappearing signs baffle candidate for Gallup mayor

By Zsombor Peter
Staff Writer

Mayoral Candidate Larry Winn replaces one of his campaign signs in an empty lot on Maloney Avenue Saturday morning. Someone has been taking down Winn's signs across the city and he suspects it could be city workers. [Photo by Matt Hinshaw/Independent]

GALLUP — A sure sign that it's election season again in Gallup is the plethora of campaign signs cropping up around town.

But some candidates are having a hard time getting their signs to stay put.

According to Public Works Director Stan Henderson, city crews have removed 49 signs as of Friday for violating the city's political sign code. While that may sound like a lot, Henderson said it was just about par for a Gallup election.

The most common mistake candidates and their crews make, he said, is placing the signs on city property, which is prohibited. A good rule of thumb, he added, was to place the signs at least eight feet in from the curb, where city property usually ends.

Mayoral candidate Larry Winn thinks that might explain why some of his signs have been removed the last time he checked, the city was holding on to 13 of them but not all. He can't explain why, for example, some of his signs have gone missing while others right next to his have stayed. And he doesn't know who's doing it.

"I know there were three or four signs when I put mine up, and they continue to be there after mine are gone," he said.

He won't speculate about whether they were stolen or mistakenly removed.

"Some were selectively removed," he said. "I think that's safe to say."

Winn isn't so concerned about the mystery to file any police reports. Even so, he's been replacing the signs that have gone missing with new ones.

At roughly $5 a piece, he said, "signs show that you care enough to buy them."

"Beyond that," he added, "there's name recognition, obviously."

With six other people vying for the mayor's seat, that may prove especially important this year.

The election is scheduled for March 6.