A Vancouver resident was surprised to find an election sign for ABC Vancouver’s byelection candidates installed on his property — without his permission.
Wah Gee, a former volunteer for ABC Vancouver during the 2022 election campaign, said he returned home over the weekend to discover someone hammering a signpost into his yard.
“He was hammering down the final post. And I was going, ‘Oh, I didn’t even request a sign,’” Gee recalled. Now backing Team for a Liveable Vancouver, Gee expressed his frustration, calling the move “a little sneaky.”
ABC Vancouver’s Sign Strategy Raises Eyebrows
ABC Vancouver launched a city-wide sign campaign over the weekend, installing approximately 800 lawn signs. This time, the party automatically placed signs at homes belonging to their 2022 municipal election supporters. Homeowners were required to opt out if they didn’t want a sign, as noted in an email ABC Vancouver sent to registered supporters.
The party claimed that only a handful of people had opted out, but Gee disagreed, stating, “I never received an email.” He believes many others may have had signs installed without their knowledge or consent.
Concerns Over Ethical Conduct
Kareem Allam, a political strategist and former chief of staff for Mayor Ken Sim, is now calling on Elections BC to investigate the matter.
Allam believes ABC Vancouver’s approach could potentially violate trespassing laws, consumer protection regulations on negative opt-ins, or even risk being seen as voter intimidation if the email campaign targeted those under the ABC-dominated city council.
“It demonstrates at minimum a lack of ethics, but also a foolishness,” Allam argued. “Even if it was legal, putting up signs on properties where residents don’t support you is just a waste of resources — they’ll get taken down anyway.”
A Polite Resolution
In Gee’s case, the volunteer placing the sign was cooperative and removed it when asked. “He was nice about it, and I was nice about it,” Gee added.
Upcoming Byelection Details
Vancouver residents will head to the polls on Saturday, April 5 to fill two open city council seats.
नमस्ते, मेरा नाम अमित वर्मा है। मैं हिंदी में सरकारी योजनाओं और स्कीम्स से जुड़ी ताज़ा खबरें और जानकारी साझा करता हूं। राजस्थान का निवासी होने के नाते, मेरा उद्देश्य आपको सभी सरकारी योजनाओं की सटीक और सरल जानकारी प्रदान करना है।