City urges candidates to follow sign rules

ROSEBURG – Campaign signs are popping up around Roseburg now that the filing deadline has passed for candidates and measures to qualify for the May 17 primary election ballot.

City officials want to remind candidates and campaign workers that those signs must follow Oregon state law (ORS 377.720) and the Roseburg Municipal Code to be legal. Campaign signs are allowed to be up from Wednesday, Feb. 16, until May 20 – three days after Primary Election Day.

Campaign signs that are found to be in violation of state law or City Code will be removed and stored at the Roseburg Public Works Shop at 425 NE Fulton St. Signs will be held for 10 days to give owners time to collect them. Signs will be discarded after 10 days, according to City Recorder Amy Sowa.

Candidates and campaign workers should remove their campaign signs that were not placed legally, but members of the public who see campaign signs that were placed illegally should report them to the Roseburg Public Works Department at pwd@cityofroseburg.org or 541-492-6730.

“People should not remove signs from the public right-of-way. Contact the City for removal,” Sowa said. “If it’s on their property, they have the right to remove it if the person who put it there did not get their permission.”

Campaign signs must adhere to the following rules:

• Signs must not be placed on sidewalks or any other public right-of-way, which is generally the area from the street to the property line and can include sidewalk, grass, gravel, a planting strip, etc.;

• Signs should be no more than 32 square feet and the entire campaign message must be contained on one sign;

• Permission from the property owner is required to post signs on private property;

• Signs are not allowed on or within:

• public parks;
• utility poles;
• bridges or other scenic areas;
• fences, trees or other publicly posted signs.

If a candidate or property owner believes one of their signs is being held by the City, contact the Roseburg Public Works Department as soon as possible at 541-492-6730 or pwd@cityofroseburg.org. For more information about the City election process, please contact City Recorder Amy Sowa at asowa@cityofroseburg.org or call 541-492-6866.