City Prosecutor Haubert Says This About Campaign Signs That Sprout On Public and Private Property

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(Mar 24, 6:05 a.m.) -- City Prosecutor Doug Haubert provided this email information regarding election campaign signs that sprout on some public and private property during election cycles (we asked for information re the general process and he responded):

Signs posted in the public right of way (for example, attached to phone polls, light posts, in center medians) are routinely removed by City Code Enforcement officers. They will remove them if they are notified by a complaint, or if they see them when they are out in the community. This is not just for political signs, but there does seem to be an increase at election time. They also contact the people suspected of posting the signs and inform them it is illegal to post in public right of way. Although the City could issue administrative citations to those who post illegal signs, rarely is there evidence about who posted them.
Signs posted on private property, for example, in shopping centers or on commercial buildings, are handled differently. They are not removed by Code Enforcement officers, and the officers would not know if the signs were posted with the owners permission or not. Of course, private property owners who find illegal signs on their property can remove the signs or authorize someone else to remove the signs on their behalf.
The City does send notices to property owners who have oversized signs and will issue administrative citations if the signs are not removed. (However, the small signs you are asking about are not likely to be oversized.)
Finally, voters can take it into consideration if they see a candidate's signs posted illegally. A candidate who only places signs on private property with the property owner’s permission will not run afoul of the law.