Political signage is sprouting up reminding drivers it’s an election year. Political signs adhere to different city and county ordinances than regular temporary signage.
Milton City Planning Manager Randy Jorgenson said every city candidate receives a copy of city ordinance for campaign advertisements to ensure the city stays uncluttered.
“It is imperative the city stays beautiful,” said Jorgenson, “and candidates are subject to these ordinances.”
The city ordinance for usage and removal of political signage says no campaign signage can be erected, posted, painted, tacked, nailed or otherwise displayed, placed or located on or above the right of way of any street or highway in the city or placed on any tree in the city. Also, each candidate, whether federal, state, county or city, displaying any political campaign sign within the city shall make a good faith effort to remove all of his political campaign advertisements within thirty days after a withdrawal of candidacy; having been eliminated as a candidate; and being elected to office. This doesn’t apply to signs on automobiles. The city ordinance continues to say if they aren’t removed within the specified period the city has the authority to remove the signage and charge the candidate the cost of removal or a fine. Santa Rosa County Supervisor of Elections Tappie A. Villane said each county candidate is given a copy of the county ordinance in their candidate packet. She said if a candidate asks, the election office encourages them to make sure a property owner is asked permission before a sign is placed on private property.
“Of course every election year there is always issues with signage,” said Villane.
Santa Rosa County ordinances state all temporary political signs shall be erected only on private property and a maximum height of 25 feet. Temporary political signage is to be removed within 21days of the time a candidate is elected or eliminated from the race.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Political signs subject to city and county ordinances