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Voters have spoken; now it's time to clean up

Campaign signs line Roosevelt Blvd Wednesday, Nov 4, in Middletown. The signs must be removed from the right of way within 10 days after the election, however, most signs appeared to be picked up by noon the day after.

Staff photo by Gary Stelzer Campaign signs line Roosevelt Blvd Wednesday, Nov 4, in Middletown. The signs must be removed from the right of way within 10 days after the election, however, most signs appeared to be picked up by noon the day after.

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By Ed Richter, Staff Writer 9:22 PM Wednesday, November 4, 2009

MIDDLETOWN — Now that the voters have spoken and the dust has settled, candidates and organizers of issue campaigns have just a few days to take down their election signs.

In most area communities, campaigns have between seven and 10 days to take down their signs according to city and zoning officials.

Marty Kohler, Middletown’s planning director, said campaigns have up to 10 days after an election to take down political signs.

Kohler said the law is evolving on political signs because of First Amendment issues.

Councilman-elect Joshua Laubach said he already has started to take down his 100 small signs and eight large signs around the 3rd Ward.

“I’ll be storing them for future use or for memorabilia,” he said.

In Carlisle, City Manager Sherry Callahan said candidates are sent letters on when signs are to come down, which is about a week after the elections.

On Wednesday, Callahan said most of the campaign signs already were down.

“They have until Monday to have them down,” she said. “I try to give them a full weekend to do it.”

In Franklin, City Manager Jim Lukas also sends candidates letters about when signs can go down. He said signs have to be down seven days after the election.

“I’ve noticed a lot of signs are already down,” he said.

Kevin Chesar, Monroe’s development director, said so far, “it looks like the signs have been cleaned up fairly well.”

Chesar said campaigns have 10 days after the election to get their signs down. In addition, public works crews are sent out to do sign sweeps periodically to remove signs out of city right of ways.

One community, Trenton, doesn’t have any time limits to take down campaign signs.

Zoning Administrator Megan Statt Blake said the city’s ordinance was changed in 2005 to make it less restrictive.

Blake said while there are no time limits, campaign signs cannot be in city right of ways and cannot be constructed or installed to be hazardous to anyone or be something that would topple over someone.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2871 or erichter@coxohio.com.

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