Is It Time To Ban Election Posters…?

Fecker

ou would have to hope that pretty much no one in their right – or left – mind would be influenced by a shiny poster stuck high up on a lamppost.

Has anyone ever changed their vote based on a glossy A3 staring out at them from a hedge…?

And then there’s the little matter of not only the eyesore aspect but also the litter, as a few posters inevitably break free of their ties. Or exhausted candidates simply don’t bother bringing them all back home.

So, with election as inevitable as death and overpriced taxis, the plea to candidates to simply not bother with such old-school powers of persuasion might be ringing out again, after Delgany Tidy Towns and Greystones Tidy Towns both stepped up to the plate in 2024.

It’s something that Greystones town council will hopefully consider expanding upon, having issued a ban on posters in towns and villages back in 2019. 

In Greystones, that ban is from the Medical Centre to Rathdown Road, including the harbour and seafront. In Delgany, it’s from Delgany Wood roundabout to the village centre, and from Delgany National School to the N11 junction. In Kilcoole, it’s from the community centre at Lott Lane to Coláiste Chraobh Abhann, and all of Sea Road, and in Newcastle, the ban was from the Watchtower premises at the south end to the junction with Church Road.

And now there is an Electoral Postering Consultation, and they would like to hear your thoughts. To find out if you’re crazy or not. And to make a call on this outdated twit-for-twat poster warfare.

The deadline for your submissions – here – is May 9th 2025, 5pm sharp, and you can go explore the Consultation Paper right here.