We are printers rather than lawyers, and the rules vary by state, county and sometimes by town. What follows is what to check, not legal advice — your election authority is the source.

The public right of way

Verges, medians and the strip beside a road are usually public land with setback rules, and signs placed inside it are commonly removed without notice.

Ask your local authority where the right of way ends before you place anything.

The date window

Many jurisdictions set how many days before an election signs may go up and how many days after they must come down.

Both ends are enforced, and the back end is the one campaigns forget.

Private property means written permission

A supporter’s lawn is the best placement there is, and it still needs the owner’s agreement — in writing for anything large or long-standing.

Tenancies and homeowner associations sometimes add their own rules on top.

Near the polls

Most jurisdictions set a distance around a polling entrance inside which campaign material is not permitted at all.

Check the figure for your jurisdiction and keep signs outside it. The wayfinding signs we print for authorities are deliberately plain and carry no advocacy.