The effort behind a “yes” vote on the North Jersey casino referendum is not quite willing to give up yet.
Casinos signs for up, then down
NJ.com is reporting that signs supporting ballot question No. 1 — which would allow the addition of up to two casinos outside of Atlantic City — are popping up around Jersey City.
The signs read: “On Nov. 8th vote yes on question #1. Vote yes for jobs.”
But they are coming down pretty quickly:
The Jersey City Department of Public Works has taken down roughly 1,500 campaigns signs promoting Board of Education candidates and casino expansion, spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill said.
A city ordinance prohibits any form of advertisement from being displayed on public property, which includes utility poles and light posts.
Jersey City is one of the likely jurisdictions where a casino would be placed, should the referendum pass.
Our Turn NJ not giving up
The signage push indicates someone is still trying to prop up a “yes” vote, which has consistently lost ground in polling of late, to the point it appears there is little chance of victory.
That push appears to be coming from Our Turn NJ, whose logo appears on the signs.
That’s despite the fact that the group stopped buying commercials some time ago.
Rally against casinos
At the same time, supporters of a “no” vote aren’t resting on their laurels, despite a big lead according to polling data.
More than a thousand people turned out for a recent rally against the referendum. While New York casinos fearing more regional competition have largely bankrolled opposition, Atlantic City has (not shockingly) also been a vocal opponent of casino expansion in the state.
More from the rally at Northjersey.com:
The sentiments were echoed by each of the speakers as they stepped to the microphone including Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian.
“We can disagree on the Cubs and the Indians, we can disagree on Donald and Hillary, but what we can agree on is voting down Question 1 on the November 8 ballot.”
Atlantic City is also in the middle of trying to avoid a state takeover because of its ongoing financial problems.
The ballot measure has already set records for spending in the state, with the two sides dedicating more than $20 million to marketing efforts.