Signs outside Town Hall during the 2016 elections

Sept. 20. Get ready for the biennial blossoming of streetside campaign signs for local politicians. They’ve already sprung up on Catawba and in the lawns of supporters. The signs are allowed to go up 30 days before Early Voting begins on Oct. 19; they must come down, as per Cornelius ordinance, 10 days after the election.

It’s Busy Season for our friends and neighbors in politics:

Friday, Oct. 6: Absentee By-Mail – ballots will begin to be mailed

Friday, Oct. 13: Registration deadline

Thursday, Oct. 19: First Day Early Voting

Saturday, Nov. 4: Last Day Early Voting

Tuesday, Nov. 7: Election Day (Polls open 6:30 am to 7:30 pm)

Friday, Nov. 17: Election signs must be removed

Local politics are interesting, in part because of some of the success stories. Both NC Rep. Bradford, who plans to run for NC Treasurer next year, and US Sen. Thom Tillis got their start in elected office on the Cornelius Town Board. (Neither one is up for election this year, so you won’t see any campaign signs from them.)

—Dave Yochum