Candidates for Lake County elected office get a quick education about campaign signs. For a few dollars a sign, these have been shown to be an effective way to get the name of one’s favorite candidate out to the public.

Although a multitude of campaign signs can be a temporary eyesore, they are part of the trade off of living in a free speech society with an electoral process.

There are unfortunately some negatives that the public and the candidates themselves have to put up with.

Some signs are placed without permission: on vacant lots, public property, even at the homes and businesses which have not asked for them.

People tamper with or remove signs of candidates they don’t support.

Signs sometimes are left in place long after the election.

Every candidate must sign documents acknowledging their responsibilities regarding campaign signs but not every candidate seems to take these responsibilities seriously.

As one of those whose signs you will be seeing between now and the November election, I want to promise the following to the public and invite all other candidates to do the same:

• My signs will either be homemade or printed by local businesses.

• The materials I use for mounting my signs will be recycled or reused.

• I will get express permission from the appropriate person before placing any signs.

• I will not place my signs on public right of ways, vacant lots, or other unpermitted areas.

• I will not disturb the signs of any other candidate.

• All my signs will be removed within three days or less after the Nov. 2 election.

Best of luck to all candidates for a free and fair election.

Herb Gura lives in Clearlake Oaks, Calif.