Signs make it harder to secure polling sites

We have all seen political signs littering the landscape on our highways, and especially around voting locations. Some polling locations like the attention that candidate signs bring to their church or other location, others do not. It is increasingly difficult to find locations that are willing to put up with the hassle created by candidates and their supporters.

Voting locations are difficult to find, because we are relying on that location to put up with the intrusion to their property. Some may not like political signs on their property.

State law allows the election commission to rent or lease a voting location and control

100 feet from the main entrance of the voting location. The rest of the area around the polling location is private property.

Candidates should ask permission before placing a sign on private property. Think of it like this: What would you think or do if someone placed a sign in your front yard without your permission?

The Arkansas Department of Transportation will remove signs, using taxpayer money, placed on highway rights-ofway. Garland County has a similar ordinance about signs on county property. Property owners have the right to remove unauthorized signs from their property. Just because another candidate places a sign on someone’s property does not automatically give other candidates permission to place another sign on their property.

When the election commission rents or leases a voting location, the standard is that if they allow one candidate’s signs placed on their property, they must allow all candidates’ signs, or they will not be utilized as a voting location. They must be nonpartisan, but you must still ask for permission.

Political parties may be informed of the permission policy of signs at a voting location, but the nonpartisan campaigns do not ask what the rules are. In the recent district court contest, both candidates’ supporters violated private property by not asking for permission to where and when to place their signs, if allowed.

Finding voting locations is becoming more difficult due to campaigns violating rights of property owners. There have been bills filed in the state Legislature requiring all property of a voting location to allow political signs; fortunately, they have not passed yet. This is a bad idea. Think of a public school that is a voting location required to allow political signs littering their football field.

Ask permission before you intrude on someone else’s property. If, in the future, you have to stand in long lines to vote, because of fewer locations, you can blame the candidates that do not respect private property.

Guest column