Kokua Line

By Gregg Kakesako

Wednesday, June 19, 1996

Hildegaard Verploegen is on vacation


Campaign signs are legal
on your private property

QUESTION: What does the law say concerning campaign signs in a residential area? There is a home in Pearl City that has several signs on the front lawn boosting the candidacy of a mayoral candidate.

ANSWER: There are no county regulations prohibiting political signs fixed to the ground or to a structure on private property. The prohibition was found to be unconstitutional by the courts in 1990. The size of allowable political signs varies by county.

Campaign headquarters, however, have to get a sign permit from the city. The city's sign ordinance is regulated by city building inspectors.

There also are federal and state laws prohibiting signs adjacent to freeways and highways. Under state law, political signs fall under the definition of outdoor advertising, which is prohibited outside the federal right-of-way boundary, visible from the travel way of any federally aided or state highway.

In Honolulu, political signs urging voters to vote for or against a person or issue cannot be erected until 45 days before the primary and must be removed within 10 days after the election. Suspected violators should be reported to the city Building Department.



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