WHILE SOME CANDIDATES have rushed to put their posters up ahead of today, all election hopefuls are being warned to pay attention to where they put their campaign material.

The ESB is saying that putting a poster on any electrical structure can cause injury or even death.

“ESB Networks is warning against the placing of posters on electricity poles/structures during the forthcoming Local and European Elections campaign,” the company said.

“Any unauthorised contact or near contact with the electricity network can result in serious injury or fatality to persons using electricity poles for this purpose. Similar risks apply when posters are being removed.

ESB Networks has previously experienced incidents where election posters have caught fire following contact with the electricity network resulting in loss of supply to customers and damaged infrastructure.

A number of candidates have begun erecting posters ahead of today’s start date in a bid to stake prime spaces on lamp posts.

Read: Fianna Fáil candidate accused of “flouting regulations” as election posters go up four days early

Read: ‘I don’t think people will be bothered’: MEP defends decision to put his posters up early