Breaking the Law? Careful Where You Plant a Political Sign

It is election season once again.   Early voting is happening now, and people are ready to shout out to the world how much they love their political candidate.  Most of that shouting involves political signs.  However, you might be breaking the law with were you put them.

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According to the Texas Department of Transportation, certain areas are a big no-no for political signs.

It is illegal to put political signs on public lands.

The right of ways are off limits for political signs.  Oh and you can't put them on trees, telephone poles, traffic signs and other object in the right of ways.

Now if you are a property owners near the right of ways, you need to know where your property ends and where the right of way begins.

Political signs can only be posted 90 days before an election and must be removed 10 days after the election.

These are the ordinances for TxDOT.  The Amarillo City ordinances are as follows

• Signs must be on private property.
• You cannot attached political signs to utility poles, light poles, street sign poles or other similar structures.
• The space between the curb and the sidewalk is the right of way for the city.  You cannot post signs in those spots.
• You can put signs on private property, but you have to have the consent of the property owner.
• The signs cannot contain an advertising message or have goods or services.
• The size of the sign can only be 36 sq ft, or 1 foot per linear foot of lot frontage for the lot the sign is on or whichever is greater. Lot frontage is measured along the curb, from property line to property line.
• Signs must be removed 30 days after the election or event.

If you've driven around Amarillo during election time, you see these signs everywhere!  Down neighborhood blocks.  Posted on fences, on the corners of businesses.

Just make sure you follow the rules with your political signs and you'll be ok.  If not, you'll probably be asked to remove the sign.