The Difficulty With Election Posters

The only purpose they serve is a self-serving one.

Photo by Michael Arlotto from Pexels

You recognise them in an instant¹ — a large full face poster of your local politician who’s shortly up for re-election plastered on every available lamp post, roadside cabinet, or bridge.

The particular individual involved usually tries to strike a pose, as best they can with just their face showing, that is designed to exude trustworthiness, reliability, and gravitas.

Whereas in actual fact it usually exudes an air of almost aristocratic entitlement, aloofness from the life of the mere mortals who frequent the ballot box, and quite often a nervous sweatiness at being captured by the lens of an unfamiliar camera.

Here, on a particularly green island bordering the Atlantic, such posters shouldn’t be attached to electricity poles (a fire risk), below a certain height (someone could walk into them), or in any way obstructing a road (a cyclist or car could hit it and there will be consequences).

But, they often are.
Of course. What did you expect?

Occasionally I try reporting them to the local council, as have many others, but the sheer volume that are affixed to any available post with the usual non-recyclable non-reusable single use plastic cable ties puts a pair of extremely…