While 30 billboards that read, “VOTER FRAUD IS A FELONY” are now a divisive memory across the city, Clear Channel workers are setting up new ones that read, “VOTING IS A RIGHT, NOT A CRIME”.
Councilwoman Phyllis Cleveland and other prominent city and state leaders gathered at a billboard site near the intersection of 55th and Central this morning to praise the new signs.
“It gives people in this community the message that you have the right to vote," says Cleveland. "And that by exercising your right to vote, you’re not committing a crime. You have nothing to be afraid of. And we’re going to be carrying that message throughout our neighborhoods, throughout our city, and throughout the country.”
The original voter fraud billboards were placed in mostly poor, African-American parts of Cleveland, prompting cries of racially-charged voter intimidation. Clear Channel said it was bound by contract to keep the purchaser anonymous, but then over the weekend said it had realized that that was a violation of company policy. The company and purchaser agreed that all 145 in Cleveland, Columbus, and Milwaukee needed to come down.
Clear Channel donated ten of the new billboards going up this week, while Cleveland officials covered five more.