Rival parties complaining about ABC’s sign practices are ‘politically challenged,’ said campaign strategist Stephen Carter. ‘They’re just saying it’s illegal because they didn’t think of it. It’s embarrassing.’
Vancouver is accustomed to seeing campaign signs sprout up on lawns as autumn leaves are falling, but this year, they are blooming during cherry blossom season.
Recommended Videos
As the city gears up for next month’s council byelection, it appears that not all the political signs popping up on lawns around town were expected, or even welcome.
ABC Vancouver, the party that dominated the 2022 civic election, has drawn criticism this month for a practice its rivals say has never been seen before — erecting campaign signs on the lawns of everyone who signed up for one in 2022, regardless of whether they want one in 2025, unless they specifically ask not to be included.
“Sign installation — at your home!” declares the subject line of a recent email to ABC supporters.
The exclamation mark was probably intended to convey enthusiasm. But considering the “We’re telling, not asking” vibe of the rest of the email, some people thought it seemed more like an order.
“The by-election has begun! That means ABC Vancouver will be installing a sign at your home in the next day or two,” the email reads. “PLEASE LET US KNOW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IF YOU DO NOT WANT A SIGN. We really need your help.”
This approach has drawn criticism, complaints and some ridicule from those outside of ABC.
But the party’s campaign strategist says it is not breaking any rules, only running a smart, effective campaign — and their “politically challenged” opponents are only complaining because they didn’t think of the idea themselves.
Rival party OneCity sent a complaint this week to the City of Vancouver and Elections B.C., saying that “this practice that has never before been used in any Vancouver civic election … might violate several legal principles.”
This “opt-out” practice might breach privacy rules, the letter says, arguing that “consent given in 2022 was not expressly or impliedly obtained to continue past that election and into the next (and ad infinitum).”
But Elections B.C. spokesperson Andrew Watson said the organization’s job is administering campaign financing and advertising rules set out in the Local Elections Campaign Financing Act, which does not regulate where signs can be placed. Therefore, Elections B.C. will not investigate the matter.
OneCity executive-director Giovanna Orecchio called it “a fundamentally dishonest way to campaign.”
It is indicative of the way ABC have run the city during this term, Orecchio said. “They do things that no one asked for,” she said, citing ABC’s pursuit of investing in Bitcoin, trying to shut down the integrity commissioner, and freezing supportive housing.
OneCity is considering next steps, Orecchio said, which could include complaining to B.C.’s Office of Information and Privacy Commissioner for potential breaches of privacy rules.
Jason Woywada, executive-director of the non-partisan, non-profit B.C. Freedom of Information and Privacy Association, said this practice is “concerning” and may violate B.C.’s Personal Information Protection Act.
“Having worked in politics and with privacy certification, I can’t fathom how someone made this decision. It is both politically bad and legally questionable,” Woywada said.
“It shows how political parties are increasingly acting like corporations in campaigns and seeking to erode the principles of privacy protection.”
“Personal information tied to political affiliation is often considered some of the most sensitive personal information and must be protected and treated seriously,” Woywada said. “People who sign up for a yard sign in a campaign are only giving consent for that campaign. They are not and should not be assumed to be supportive of the same party in any subsequent campaign.”
“Who needs consent when you have a sign, right?” Bligh wrote.
ABC was promptly asked to come pick up the sign from Bligh’s parents’ lawn, she said.
But those kinds of responses have been a tiny minority, said ABC campaign strategist Stephen Carter.
ABC contacted about 2,000 people about installing lawn signs, and only 2.5 per cent, or about 50 people, opted out, Carter said, and another 10 or so people asked the party to take down signs after they had been installed.
Rival parties complaining about ABC’s sign policy are “politically challenged,” Carter said. “The fact these guys are saying it’s illegal, I mean, that’s just malicious. … This is allowed. They’re just saying it’s illegal because they didn’t think of it. It’s embarrassing.”
Carter declined to answer how much ABC is spending on signs for the byelection.
Elections B.C. filings show that during Vancouver’s last general election in 2022, ABC spent about $98,000 on signs.