The months before a November election are a special time of year. It is campaign season, and one way we are reminded of that is with all the campaign yard signs. They are almost hard to miss. And, they come with their own set of rules.
Before placing a sign anywhere, you should have permission from the property owner regardless if it appears to be public, private, vacant or occupied.
In the city of Syracuse, campaigns are asked not to put them on the public right of ways which is city property. But once one goes up, others tend to follow. And city leaders say they don't spend much of their time worrying about it.
"We ask people once they have been defeated or post-election, they take them down. Probably our biggest concern is that they do not obstruct anybody's view, kids that are walking to school and there's nothing that is impeding their progress from being able to go to school," said Bill Ryan, City of Syracuse chief of staff.
The board of elections doesn't have authority to enforce rules despite receiving many complaints. On Election Day, however, you are not allowed to place a campaign sign within 100 feet of a polling site because it is considered electioneering.