Elections & Voter Registration
| Political Sign Regulations | |
| Before each election, thousands of political campaign signs dot the landscape of the county and the surrounding areas. Campaign signs play an instrumental role in establishing a candidate's identity and acquainting the public with the names of the citizens who are running for public office. | |
| Unfortunately, many signs are placed in locations that violate county, state and federal laws. In many instances, illegal signs pose a threat to public safety, especially when they appear in intersections, medians, ditches, on bridges, utility poles, interstate entrance and exit ramps, or along sidewalks. In some instances, signs are (illegally) placed on public property or on private property without the owner's permission. | |
| The Richland County Election Commission has prepared this information as a service to better inform candidates for political office (and the public they intend to represent) about the laws that govern the use of political signs. | |
| State Laws: | |
| § 57-25-10. Unlawful to display, place or affix posters within right-of-way. It shall be unlawful for any person to display, place or affix a poster within any right-of-way and visible from the main-traveled way of the highway. Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined not more than one-hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than thirty days. | |
| § 57-25-140. Signs permitted along interstate or federal-aid primary highways; customary use exceptions; removal of vegetation from right-of-way. *( ) signs of thirty-two square feet or less advertising agricultural products of a seasonal nature, signs of a political nature, signs erected by or on behalf of eleemosynary, civic, nonprofit, church, or charitable organizations, or signs advertising special community events which are erected temporarily for ninety days or less. | |
| Richland County Zoning Ordinance: | |
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Article 8, § 26-101.6. Political campaign signs. Signs announcing candidates seeking public office or relating to any election referendum shall be permitted. Such signs shall be confined to placement on private property. Such signs shall be removed within seven (7) days after the election or referendum has been decided. It shall be the responsibility of the candidate to have such signs removed. |
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| NOTE: | |
| The utility companies have asked us to pass along this reminder about placing posters on utility poles. They have asked that candidates or their supporters not to place posters on their utility poles because, not only is this practice destruction of private property, but it is very hazardous to utility workers when they need to climb poles during an emergency such as power outages or lightening storms. |
