Elections are over, but who removes political signs and when in Georgia? 5 things to know
Election Day 2024 has come and gone, but those campaign signs are still greeting you in your yard.
Don’t let them stick around for too long. Here’s what to know about removing them and disposing of them:
What to know about political yard signs after elections
Who is responsible for removing political campaign signs?
If there was a political sign placed by a candidate on or near your property, that candidate or their team will retrieve the sign in the next few days. However, if it is your political yard sign that you placed on your own property, you’ll be responsible for removing it and disposing of it in a timely manner.
When should political yard signs be removed after elections?
So, what’s a timely manner? Typically, political yard signs should be removed seven days after the election, but the deadline can vary per your county’s sign ordinances.
For example, in Forsyth County, Georgia: “Expression signs placed for political or ballot initiatives shall be removed within 15 days after election.”
But this may not be enforceable. In 2009, Georgia officials made it “unconstitutional” to restrict the length of time that a political sign can be displayed on private property and if cities do so, it is not fully enforceable.
3 ways to dispose of your signs
Not sure how to dispose of your signs? Here are some ways to properly (or creatively) do so:
Recycle them
You can recycle your political yard signs if they have a cardboard base or are made of plastic-bag material.
If you have a sign with a metal base, separate it from the sign itself and put it in a separate container for drop off at a recycling center because your trash pickup service probably won’t pick up these metal bases.
Donate the signs or give them back
Some local organizations welcome old political signs because they will reuse them for other projects or future elections, so check around on social media or ask around town.
If you got the sign from a local candidate, be sure to ask if they want it back. Or if you bought it from a political party store, call the store and ask if they want to take the signs back or if there’s a specific way to dispose of them.
Don’t dispose of them at all, but rather, reuse them
Tap into your creativity and reuse the signs for your own projects like birthday parties, holiday decorating or baby announcements.
Have more questions? Let me know in the comments or email me at cmadden@mcclatchy.com
This story was originally published November 6, 2024 at 1:03 PM.
