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These political signs have been strategically placed near the busy intersection of Union and Vernon Avenues in Fergus Falls.

These political signs have been strategically placed near the busy intersection of Union and Vernon Avenues in Fergus Falls.

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An old saying goes, “There are two things you can count on in an election year, lots of road construction and yard signs for political candidates."

But there are a few rules. The state law stipulates that signs can be erected in any number from 46 days before the primary election until ten days following the general election.

However, as anyone driving down a few of the main arteries in Fergus Falls will see, some candidates that did not make it past the primary elections, have signs that are still being displayed.

Lynne Olson, assistant to the city administrator, said currently there are no direct city ordinances regarding political signs, even conceding that there are still signs up from the 2020 election.

“We do not have an ordinance that restricts the number and size of signs. So if we don’t have that ordinance, we can’t enforce anything. We hope that people would take them down, we hope that they would choose to do that, but we can’t force them to take a sign down,” said Olson.

Olson mentions it would take city council action in the form of an ordinance to address the issue and the council has not shown any appetite for that at this point.

Olson said one of the things that the city does enforce are any signs, political or not, is that signs cannot be placed in a right of way.

“The city does have the ability to come and take those down. The main reason is safety. They can become a sight impairment, if drivers can’t see around them and now with school starting, we’ve got little ones that are out waiting at bus stops and if they are out playing around those signs, ducking down, hiding and all of a sudden pop up and that sign is too close to the roadway, it’s real big safety concern for us,” said Olson.

Another growing concern the city has seen is the use of profanity on some of the political signs displayed.

“We’re seeing some of those pop up as well this year. Especially around school zones. We just ask that people would be neighborly and be mindful that those (types of signs) are offensive to many people,” said Olson.

State law does stipulate that during an election year, no application, permit, or fee is required for non-commercial signs. Although no permit is required, non-commercial signs are still subject to some rules:

More information and advice on how political signs should be displayed can be viewed on the city of Fergus Falls website at ci.fergus-falls.mn.us/i-want-to/find/find-information-about-signs.

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