Gathering with Election Signature Collectors in Montreal Night
In the heart of Montreal, the election season has officially begun as political parties take to the streets to install their campaign posters. On a recent evening, volunteers from Ensemble Montréal and Projet Montréal were hard at work, installing signs across the city.
At 10:30 PM, Ensemble Montréal volunteers, led by Soraya Martinez Ferrada, the party's mayoral candidate, installed their final posters between Hochelaga and Des Ormeaux streets. A total of 19 teams divided the task, with each team placing signs bearing Martinez Ferrada's image.
Meanwhile, over in the Villeray-Saint-Michel-Parc-Extension borough, around a hundred volunteers from Projet Montréal gathered to place their electoral signs. Among them were new volunteers like Marie Guéné, who started militating within the party about a year ago. Guéné expressed pride after fixing her first poster.
The installation process was a collaborative effort, with volunteers bringing signs, tie-wraps, cutters, and some even bringing additional equipment like stools. City councillor for Ensemble Montréal, Julien Hénault-Ratelle, completed the task in four hours with several volunteers. Projet Montréal volunteers, including Jean-François and Guéné, followed an itinerary to place signs on the best locations.
An "unwritten rule" allows poster installation to begin as soon as the sun has set. This rule was followed by both parties, with Ensemble Montréal prioritising sidewalks and bike paths for smaller signs, while larger signs were installed on main streets later. High-traffic locations, such as around metro stations, required careful planning for poster installation.
There seems to be a form of respect between the volunteers of different parties during the first evening of poster installation. Jean-Pierre Szaraz, a former volunteer for Martinez Ferrada, participated in the Ensemble Montréal installation, despite having run against Luc Rabouin, the leader of Projet Montréal, for the mayor of Plateau-Mont-Royal in the 2019 by-election.
It's worth noting that parties have a maximum of 15 days to remove all election posters after the election. This meticulous process is a result of municipal parties preparing their recruits for election campaigns. They provide intensive training focused on democratic principles, public speaking, and campaign strategies, often culminating in ceremonial events that reinforce their commitment to democratic order. Such preparation includes detailed planning of their public appearances and speeches to ensure readiness for political engagement.
As the election season unfolds, Montrealers can expect to see more of these political posters popping up around the city. The installation process, while competitive, seems to be a collaborative effort, with volunteers from different parties working together to ensure their candidates' messages reach the voters.
