Let there be campaign signs

It’s nice to see that Mariemont has agreed to join the rest of the country in obsessing about the presidential election for a year or more before it happens.

The little village in eastern Hamilton County was founded on the notion that it could plan its residents’ lives from cradle to grave – an idea that has gradually given way to pressures and temptations from beyond the village green over the last few decades. One of its last attempts to hold off the outside world was a local zoning regulation restricting the posting of political signs to one per property, and none to be posted prior to 30 days before an election.

Resident Karen Koetzle filed suit in federal court last week, claiming that violated her free expression right to support candidates of her choice. Mariemont officials looked around and noted that while the Ohio Primary is not until March, the airwaves, news columns and Internet are pretty much full of campaign news, and have been for quite some time. They announced they will remove the restrictions which should settle the suit.

Look for campaign signs to begin crowding the lawns along Wooster Pike. It’s the American way.