The political season is right upon the country. Drive down nearly any road and you can see yard signs. These are the cheapest and easiest means that Americans prefer to show off their favorite candidate. However, not every community association allows placing them anywhere on the property. There’re certain guidelines to follow regarding the placement of political yard signs. On the other hand, if you think that the sign placed by your neighbor violates the city/county rules, you can report that via online property maintenance form.
Rules to follow for election signs
There’re certain rules regarding how when and where to place political yard signs or lawn signs. Let’s check out some of them for reference. 
- The rules regarding political yard signs differ, though slightly, from state to state. The signs can go up no sooner than 60-90 days before the election, depending on the state. In some cities, it can’t be displayed until 45 days before the election date. The same should be removed within 7 to 10 days after the event is over. The day-limit also depends on the individual state. If you’re interested to place this bandit sign, check the rules with the local authority.
- Election signs shouldn’t be positioned in grassy areas between the street and the sidewalk, on any public property or in medians. It shouldn’t come in contact with pedestrians or vehicles. It can’t be placed upon the right of the alley, public street, or any public way. Also, it shouldn’t be displayed upon any property controlled or owned by any government agency.
- The signs should be removed if it is damaged or torn.
- Election yard signs can’t be displayed on any private property sans the approval of the property owner or the person in charge of the given property.
- Placing a campaign sign on the school property is illegal in most states, irrespective of whether it’s a public, private, or a charter school.
- There are some limitations regarding the size of the sign. The typical size of yard signs is 24×18 inches. It would be best to check with your city or municipal authority which size you can use, before placing the sign. Political yard sign printing houses typically take care of this.
- Though there’s a common notion that placing the campaign signs near the polling place helps to transform late undecideds into voters, it’s not permitted by law. In most states, the election code strictly prohibits placing any political yard signs in close vicinity to the polling places. To be precise, it must not be displayed within 100 feet of the location, especially while the process of voting is going on.
- Permits are not essential for custom political yard signs though it might be needed for non-residential districts. However, the respective city official may issue an order to the owner or the sponsor of the signs for immediate rectification/correction/removal, if there are any regulatory or structural defects.
- There’re limitations regarding the removal of the signs as well. You can’t remove a sign on your own as it would be considered as the violation of the first amendment rights of someone else’s. However, if the sign is placed in any illegal spot, notify local police and they’ll take care of it. if any sign is placed within the right to way or if it’s causing any traffic hazard, the local authority will remove it even without notice. They may charge for the removal as well.
- As it comes to the violation of the guidelines, police typically don’t need to issue citations. In most of the cases, a verbal or written warning is more than enough to solve the problem. But, if the problem exists, it would be good to contact the respective controlling authority.
Regulations regarding signs are associated with the public safety, property values preservation, and general welfare of the city or the county. The rules are meant to traffic control and not to distract drivers. They’re intended to reduce congestion of air and land space. The rules also help in establishing a standard for which common folks can use the political yard signs to express free speech regarding their choice of voting candidate.
