Howard County judicial challenger David Titman has filed a formal complaint with the county against the two sitting judges? campaign signs, calling nine of them illegal.
The judges? 32-square-foot signs, which in many instances stand next to other candidates? signs ? including those for county executive candidates Chris Merdon and Ken Ulman ? are illegal because they are too close to roads or violate height restrictions, according to Titman?s complaints.
“I know these guys want to get their message out there, and everybody does,” Titman said. “But I think to do it in a way that it is not only illegal but also unsafe is not right for a candidate and especially a judge.”
Titman has objected to Howard County Circuit Judges Louis Becker and Richard Bernhardt?s campaign signs at nine locations in the county.
Two of those signs ? at the Lisbon traffic circle and at the intersection of Burntwoods Road and Route 97 ? are illegal, Titman said, because they are closer than 100 feet to the road.
The others, when considered with the signs next to them, violate the limit of total square-footage allowed on a properties, Titman said.
The county code limits signs on residential properties to 9 square feet and commercial properties to 32 square feet.
It does not specify whether a group of signs can cumulatively break the limit of square footage or whether the square-footage restrictions apply only to individual signs.
Betty Adams, chairwoman of the sitting judges campaign, said Titman is wrong.
“I couldn?t see how they violate the county code,” she said. “I don?t really know what he?s talking about. He?s just kind of grasping at straws.”
Bob Frances, acting director of the county?s Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits, said Titman?s complaints concern mainly state roads and are therefore filed with the wrong agency.
While his office has received many illegal sign complaints, Titman?s is the first this year from a challenger against an incumbent.
“Most of the candidates don?t like to throw stones in the glass house,” Frances said.
“The First Amendment was intended to cover free political speech, and we try to avoid infringing upon that speech.”
