(Newswire.net — January 25, 2016) — As we get closer and closer to campaign season, local and national politicians are digging into their pockets and leveraging any campaigning strategies they can think of. Naturally, this means campaign advertising in the form of yard signs. As a voter who supports certain candidates, what do you need to know about the legality and proper use of campaign signs?
State and Federal Laws and Regulations
State and local governments restrict when and where campaigns may place yard signs. They do so for a number of reasons, including to limit driver distractions, maintain aesthetic appeal, level the playing field, and promote honest campaigns.
While different states have unique rules and regulations, most follow the same basic principles. In the majority of states, the Department of Transportation and Department of State are in charge of setting these election sign rules.
For example, in the state of South Carolina, it’s illegal to put a sign anywhere that obstructs the view of a driver or presents any inherent danger. It’s also illegal to vandalize signs, steal signs, or place signs less than 100 feet apart on public property.
In California, there are rules regarding when signs can be posted. For instance, a sign can’t be posted more than 90 days before an election and must be removed within 10 days following the election. It’s also against the law for a sign to be more than 32 square feet in size.
As you can see, each state has its own specific rules and requirements. If you’re planning on posting a sign, it’s important that you understand these laws.
Private Property Restrictions
But it’s not just public property where sign laws and restrictions come into play. Some homeowners are surprised to find out that they may be forced to adhere to certain rules on their own privately owned property.
“Typically there aren’t many laws restricting what signs are placed on private property, assuming the landowner agrees to what is being placed on their property,” points out Chris Lee of SpeedySignsUSA. However, there are exceptions. “Some local governments and homeowner associations will limit the time that a political sign can be on a lawn or ban them all together,” he continues.
The reason is that campaign sign posters can go overboard. After all, who wants their neighbor putting up 50 yard signs and then leaving them up for three months after the election? It doesn’t matter who the candidate is – that’s pretty obnoxious.
While neighbors can get in some pretty heated debates over something as simple as a campaign sign, it’s important to remember that the HOA doesn’t exist to infringe your right to free speech. Their objective is to maintain a nice looking neighborhood that residents can be proud of.
“Community association managers are like small-town mayors, with the responsibility to be reasonable and fair while upholding rules,” says Dawn Bautman, executive director of the National Board of Certification for Community Association Managers. “If your community has yard sign regulations, make sure they conform to state and local laws and enforce them consistently.”
Don’t Ignore the Law
While you have the right to post political signs, you don’t necessarily have the right to post them anywhere and anytime you want. In addition to the examples mentioned above, you also have to be careful about posting signs too close to polling stations on election day. This is something officials take very seriously. Most states implement a limit of 100 to 200 feet from the entrance of the station, though limits may reach as high as 600 feet in certain states.
The moral of the story is to study the rules. While you may not agree with the restrictions, they exist for a reason. Post your signs – but don’t break the law.