Last month, Irvine officially requested that candidates for City Council sign a pledge to hold off on placing campaign signs in public rights of way until 60 days before Election Day.
Candidate Jeff Lalloway signed that pledge — except he crossed out “60 days” and wrote in “90 days.”
Lalloway is unapologetic about the extra 30 days he gave himself, saying that the pledge request — initiated by his opponent, incumbent Councilman Larry Agran — is not fair to challengers who had no say in establishing the policy.
“My First Amendment rights shouldn’t be impeded by my opponent,” said Lalloway, who has already put out signs — a violation of the 60-day prohibition, but well within range of his self-imposed limit.
Lalloway added: “I don’t think my opponent should be establishing the terms of my campaign unilaterally.”
Agran declined to comment.
The pledge request was given to candidates when they pulled their nomination papers. Candidates, if they chose to do so, signed the statement and filed it with the city clerk.
Every candidate (if you include Lalloway) signed the pledge, except for 19-year-old candidate Chris Moore.