Honestly...much ado about nothing in my opinion. Political signs on the median for a couple months before the election hardly seems like the most important thing to get worked up over. Make it legal for a certain period of time around election day and give candidates a couple weeks after election day to have them removed. If not...impose fines. With a few scattered exceptions it looks to me like most signs have been removed!

These signs are an eyesore. No question. Both advertising and polictical signs in these medians are in fact illegal. You have to agree with Pat Herrity when she recently said "Fairfax County is the only county in the state that has not addressed this problem. I do not see the same problem as I travel throughout Virginia. Signs in the median can be dangerous, obstruct sight distance and distract drivers. My office received many calls asking us to remove signs from both parties that blocked the view of drivers trying to turn. I am aware of at least one accident this election season that was blamed on a campaign sign that obstructed sight distance. Demonstrate pride in our community. I find it hypocritical that we regularly complain about grass height in medians, but will not deal with 4-foot-by-8-foot multicolored pieces of plastic. Cost to VDOT and the county. Prior to each mowing, VDOT must pay to clear the rights-of-way of illegally placed signs and other litter. VDOT and the county also must pay to clear the signs that candidates fail to remove after the election is over."

I wish the Dave Marsden campaign would clean up the signs that can still be found along Braddock Rd. I'm sure he's not the only offender, but those are the ones I noticed AGAIN this morning on the way to work.

FYI, political signs have been illegal since 1938 in Virginia. I think there is a serious problem when politicians campaign in contravention of state law. Keep in mind too that it would be politically stupid to carve out a special niche for politicians during campaign season when it is against the law for everyone else.
Political signs are a big problem safety-wise too and they also wind up in the local woods and streams. But there is more at stake in what Herrity wants to do. There are 1000s and 1000s of commercial signs all over Fairfax County year-round. These are even worse.

I should add that they are only illegal in the VDOT ROW, not in yards, etc.

I believe that local political candidates understand that the best way to win an election these days is by name recognition, hence the abundance of signs along the roads. When American citizens take the responsibility and time to learn about their local political candidates and the issues on the ballot, then they can make informed decisions rather than voting based on name recognition. It is our duty and privilege as American citizens to be informed. Sadly, fewer and fewer citizens care enough to be informed and so politicians try to do the only thing they can... get their names out there, even illegally. Not saying it's right, just saying that the problem is bigger than the overabundance of signs... it's a general lack of interest on the part of the American people. I guess we just take our freedom for granted, and that's too bad. But, I do agree, we need a solution to this illegal advertising along the roadways. Signs, be gone! We don't need you and we don't want you!

I think it was worse before this election due to the oversized signs that were used. Although they did what they were supposed to do they also made a bad problem a "bigger" problem.
I removed signs from around the Gov't Center in Fairfax and soon realized that whoever had been there before me removing the Democrat candidates signs had just left the metal stakes and thrown most of the paper & plastic covers off into the woods alongside the road. I guess they forgot they are supposed to be the Party that " protects the environment". Maybe that is only when it suits their purposes but this is just another problem added to the road sign issue!
I should have taken photos!!

After the elections it makes Fairfax ( one of the richest counties in the country ) look like garbage! The candidates clearly don't care for the jurisdictions they are running for, if they did they would put forth the effort to eliminate this pollution. This is why I do not vote on the county and state levels. Go Herrity!

Laura... you sound awfully proud and self rightous. Instead you should be ashamed of yourself. As to your comment about the local candidates it would seem that you are ignorant of the whole process. These good people who put themselves out there to run should be applauded and the idea that "they" don't care about their districts is beyond the pale. You need to educate yourself. Since you don't bother to vote then I also hope you don't complain when you don't like how things are going or are been done , here in Fairfax County of down in Richmond.

In Mount Vernon district, huge, roughly 4X8 signs remain along route one for Delegate Surrovell and Senator Puller, as well as for sheriff Stan Barry and school board-elect member McElveen. They are unsightly and should be removed for once and for all. Do we need to report it to our supervisor, or the board chairman?

It doesn't make a difference whether we like them or not. They are illegal and the politicians are breaking the law in an effort to become lawmakers. Like so much of the government, it's the inmates running the prison.
If you need signs to tell you for whom to vote, then you have to question your abilities to make a sensible voting decision in the first place. Be accountable and do your homework !
It's just political graffiti . . and it blemishes our community, no different than spray paint.
Don't we already see enough politicians breaking the law, much less sanctioning it at the local level . LAWMAKERS BREAKING THE LAW !

The measure was unanimously approved by the Board of Supervisors today.

Could be a great way to help balance the state and county budget. Enforce the fines!

And I am sure the people that have been flooded out in the past months would love to know how many of these signs are found blocking storm drains!

THANKS, PAT! (and the lady who called you on this that got you started!)

The absolute worst that I saw (I no particular order):
1 - Along Braddock, between Clifton Rd and 28, including Pat Herrity's monster sign;
2 - Along 28 between 66 and Westfields
3 - Along 123 from GMU all the way to Lorton
4 - At the intersection of Braddock and Shirley Gate
5 - Along Braddock between 123 and Rolling Rd

And Mr. Cooper, please remove your "Drop Stan Barry" signs, and the signs that ask Stan Barry to return $1.5M.

Oh, and they were particularly bad along Union Mill Rd this year, from 29 all the way to Compton, especially Velkoff and Miller Baker (throw in a few Loliatas for good measure).

By the way, I read that there was a "sign task force" more than ten years ago, from which apparently nothing resulted. One proposal was to classify any sign in the VDOT right of way as "abandoned" or trash, and allow anyone to remove it.

Also, I understand that there are exceptions in the VDOT policy to allow for directional signs to churches, etc.