Like it or not, new Maine law doubles season for political campaign signs

[TexasTowelie]

Love them or hate them – you’re probably going to see campaign signs go up earlier and stay up longer.

That’s because a state law change that went into effect Aug. 1 allows temporary signs to be placed in the public right of way for 12 weeks a year, twice as long as previous limits. That means Mainers may be stuck seeing campaign signs for nearly a quarter of the year.

“You can put a temporary sign in the public right of way for 12 weeks between Aug. 1 and Dec. 31, and then next year it will be 12 weeks for the calendar year,” said Toni Kemmerle, an attorney with the Maine Department of Transportation, which is charged with enforcing sign rules along state highways. Commercial business signs fall under different regulations, she said.

The law change was intended to help farmers advertise produce markets, not so much to extend the campaign season. But the side effect irks people like Debbie Donaldson, who passed by campaign signs recently planted in a grassy expanse separating the lanes on Franklin Street in Portland. The 63-year-old initially said campaign signs were generally “fine by me.” But her opinion changed when she was told about the recent law change.

Read more: https://www.journaltribune.com/articles/stateregional/like-it-or-not-new-maine-law-doubles-season-for-political-campaign-signs/

[gopiscrap]

1. Collier, et al-vs-Tacoma, et al 1993

In 1990 a candidate in Tacoma WA ran for US Congress from the left in the Democratic Primary against a well funded entrench DINO opponent. In the midst of that race being out funded by a wide margin he did the only thing that he could do that was with in his price range (internet had not yet come into widespread use) he put up yard signs in violation lof the city/s 60 day time limit.

A few days after he that, the city came to people's doors and told them to get the sign off their lawn or out of their window or else they would be fined or in extreme cases criminally charge.

The case went to court and Collier won that case 9-0 the reason being that political speech had to be protected before all other speech ie (religious, commercial etc) and the secondary reason being that the city and it's workers could not define what was or was not a political sign depending on the message.

The court did rule that that the city could "reasonably" limit size and also keep them from being a safety hazard.

The court also rules that this was the case for right of way, HOA's etc.

Just thought you might be interested-Michael Collier