Regina households divided: election candidates signs battle for lawn dominance

It’s like something out of the Odd Couple: one household with two different election signs.

It’s popping up at a number of homes and their front lawns throughout Regina as the federal election campaign rolls along. Take a drive down Dewdney Avenue in the west end of the city and you’ll see it on several properties.

News Talk Radio went to one of those houses to find out why.

“We are supporting different parties in the upcoming election,” offered Alysson Handlen as a simple explanation.

Handlen lives with her fiancé. He gave the OK for Louis Browne to pound in a red Liberal sign on the lawn in front of their house. Then NDP candidate Erin Weir came knocking.

“He asked if he could put up a big sign on our porch, and I think my fiancé heard small sign on the lawn,” she laughed.

Handlen described her partner’s reaction when he saw the bright orange New Democrat sign affixed to the porch.

“Comes home and there’s a big old sign bolted right on to the thing, like huge, and kinda walks around, looks at it, rolls his eyes.”

Surprisingly, even with the difference of colour, it doesn’t seem to cause any tension around the supper table for the couple.

“It’s not really a thing. He does what he does and I do what I do,” she said.

A woman who lives down the street from Handlen also had both an NDP and Liberal sign on display. She said she’s undecided on who she’ll vote for, explaining since both candidates were really nice, she’d support both until she has to make up her mind come election day Oct. 19.

Homes having the red and orange combo aren’t uncommon not only along Dewdney, but also throughout the city. After all, the two parties are closer to one another on the political spectrum than they are with the Tories.

And while Handlen and her fiancé might not agree on who they’ll vote for, they do agree on who they won’t vote for.

“It wouldn’t cause conflict unless he voted Conservative and then I’d be really annoyed,” she expressed. “We both agree that that’s just not even an option.”