A couple of Whangarei council hopefuls flouted the rules by leaving some of their vote-for-me signs up on election day.
It is an offence under the Electoral Act to display the signs on election day.
David Blackley, who failed to win either the district mayoralty or the Whangarei Heads seat he was seeking, left at least one hoarding standing - at McLeod's Bay - during the October 8 election day. Mr Blackley made a tilt for election under the Go Whangarei team label.
The sign was still standing during and several days after election day, and even after being knocked over was left on the road berm where it remained highly visible.
A sign advertising Okara ward candidate Greg Shipton's run sat near the Port Rd entrance to Te Matau o Pohe bridge until two nights ago.
Mr Shipton, who was not affiliated to a team campaign and was also unsuccessful in his election bid, said someone had moved the sign to that location and he hadn't been aware it was there. As soon as he heard about it, he had it removed, he said.
Whangarei District Council regulatory services manager Grant Couchman said it was a candidates' responsibility to take all their signs down, under the council's Control of Advertising Signs Bylaw.
Mr Blackley was emailed by council staff on the Monday morning after the election and asked to remove his sign, Mr Couchman said.
"If the signs are not removed then we have to arrange for them to be collected and disposed of. We invoice the owner to cover these costs."
Mr Blackley had not replied to the Advocate's questions before edition time.
There are still some election signs legally on show around the district - for the upcoming Northpower Electric Power Trust elections.