Campaign signs dos and don’ts: What you need to know as election day nears
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Campaign season is in full swing with just 33 days until the election, and you’ve likely noticed campaign signs dotting our roadways.
However, there are some dos and don’ts when it comes to placing those signs. In some cases, you can even be charged for not obeying them.
For starters, one campaign sign cannot obscure the campaign sign of someone else. WWAY captured video of a man doing exactly that on Third Street in Wilmington.
Signs can be placed next to state-owned roadways, but not along high-speed areas like I-40.
Here’s a rule many people may not know about: lawfully placed signs can only be removed by the person who placed them. It’s also illegal to deface or vandalize campaign signs.
Jessi Leonard with the NCDOT said campaign signs are allowed from September 17 to November 15.
“They can be placed during that time frame as long as they don’t pose a hazard, and when I say that, it’s typically a sight distance concern, if it’s blocking sight distance,” Leonard explained. “It should not be attached to existing DOT equipment in the right of way.”
We reached out to both campaigns involved in the video we captured.
Tim Merrick sent us a statement that reads:
“I’m saddened but not surprised by the actions of Natosha Tew’s campaign. Ms. Tew has a history of flaunting rules. Sheriff’s deputies had to forcibly remove her from a school board meeting for disruptive behavior in 2022. Last month she attempted to bypass school policy to disseminate political propaganda along with copies of our constitution to our 8th graders. And now this.”
The statement continues…
“I’m concerned with how she would govern on the school board with such little respect for policies, rules, or even the law. Her wild accusations at last night’s forum made it clear that her decisions about education standards would not rely on research, as she does not trust science. It is my fervent hope that voters recognize the inappropriateness Ms. Tew would present as a role model for students, and the dangers of her making decisions about our children.”
Natosha Tew also sent us a statement that reads:
“All campaigns and supporters should behave ethically and as a candidate I don’t support any election rigging.”
