VERIFY: No, you can't put campaign signs in right-of-way

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — Election season is in full swing now, and you're probably driving past dozens of campaign signs.

You might be noticing some in yards, some at businesses, and some right on the roadside, so 13WMAZ verifies.

Can you put campaign signs in rights-of-way?

Elections are important for Rita Simon.

"To me, election season is a time of renewal, really," Simon said.

Adding campaign signs to her front yard is just what she does.

She votes every year, but this year, she noticed campaign signs disappearing from the side of the road in her community.

"Well, I saw it on Russell Parkway, where all the signs over there just magically disappeared," Simon said.

So, can you put campaign signs in rights-of-way?

I spoke with Warner Robins Interim Chief of Police Wayne Fischer and broke down Georgia laws to verify.

"In the public right-of-way and roadways of Warner Robins the answer is no. The reason are based upon existing state law, which the municipal ordinance has also adopted. It does not allow for campaign signs or any other similar type of fashion signing to be placed up around the roadways that would be a nuisance or distraction," Fischer said, and that state code he's referring to is Georgia traffic code section 40-6-25.

It states: "No person shall maintain or place nor shall any public authority permit upon any highway any traffic sign or signal bearing thereon any commercial advertising."

It also says signs in the right-of-way are a public nuisance and can be removed by the county or state without notice.

"As you roll around, just look at the signs, whether you like the sign or not. It counts when you go to the poll; and you hit that little 'X' and mark your ballot," Simon said.

So, the answer is no, you can't place campaign signs at public rights-of-way.

Simon thinks people are also tampering with campaign signs in her neighborhood.

Fischer says if campaign signs are on private property, it's illegal to remove them.

Fischer also says it is illegal for someone to place a sign on your private property, if you did not give permission and you should call the police to remove it.