Campaign sign rules in effect

ROSEBURG, Ore. – As campaign signs pop up around Roseburg, City officials want to remind candidates and campaign workers to follow City and Oregon law involving political signs for the Primary Election on Tuesday, May 21.

Campaign signs must follow Oregon state law (ORS 377.720) and the Roseburg Municipal Code to be legal. Signs are allowed to be put up 90 days before an election and must be taken down within three days after the election. For the upcoming Primary Election, that means signs can be up from Wednesday, Feb. 21, through Friday, May 24.

Signs found to be violating state law or City Code will be removed and stored at the Roseburg Public Works Shop, 425 NE Fulton St., for 10 days to give owners time to collect them and then discarded, according to City Recorder Amy Nytes.

Candidates should remove campaign signs that were not placed legally. Local residents who see campaign signs that were placed illegally should report them to the Public Works Department at pwd@cityofroseburg.org or 541-492-6730.

“We ask people to please not take campaign signs down from the public right-of-way,” Nytes said. “If you find a sign on your property or you have questions about a sign you see, please contact us.”

Campaign signs must follow these rules:

1. 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.;

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

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

4. 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 Nytes at anytes@cityofroseburg.org or call 541-492-6866.

Residents who are at least 18 but not already registered to vote must register by 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, April 30, to vote in the upcoming election. Learn more about registering to vote from the Oregon Secretary of State website. Elections in Oregon are carried out using vote-by-mail ballots sent to registered voters two to three weeks before statewide elections. Voters can return ballots by mail or at official drop boxes, such as those set up outside the Douglas County Courthouse or Roseburg Public Library.