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Campaign Signs
For specific information regarding sign placement for any of the jurisdictions, please contact that jurisdiction directly.
Benton City
Temporary Signs, Chapter 14 - UNIFORM SIGN CODE
Section 1401. No temporary sign shall exceed 100 square feet in area. Temporary signs of rigid material shall not exceed 24 square feet in area, or 6 feet in height, nor shall any such be fastened to the ground.
Temporary signs may remain in place for a period not exceeding 60 days.
Section 1402. (A) Support. Every temporary cloth sign shall be supported and attached with wire rope of 3/8 inch minimum diameter. No strings, fiber ropes or wood slats shall be permitted for support or anchorage purposes. Cloth signs and panels shall be perforated over at least 10 percent of their area to reduce wind resistance.
EXCEPTION: Temporary cloth signs over private property not exceeding 60 square feet shall be supported and attached with wire rope which will meet the requirements of Chapter 4 of this code.
(B) Projection. Cloth signs may extend over public property. Such signs, when extended over a public street, shall maintain a minimum clearance of 20 feet.
(C) Clearance. Cloth signs may extend across a public street only by permission of the governing body and shall be subject to all related laws and ordinances.
Temporary signs, other than cloth, when 8 feet or more above the ground, may project not more than 6 inches over public property or beyond the legal setback line.
Additions to Uniformed Sign Code – Temporary Political Signs. Chapter 14 of the Uniform Sign Code is amended by the addition of the following provisions:
A. SECTION 1403 – TEMPORARY POLITICAL SIGNS. Temporary political signs may be displayed prior to an election and shall be removed within ten (10) days after an election. After the primary election, temporary political campaign signs endorsing a successful candidate may remain up to ten (10) days after the succeeding general election.
B. “Temporary political signs” means a temporary sign that identifies a candidate(s) for public elective office; urges a particular vote on a ballot measure in a pending public election, whether local, state or national; or expresses an opinion on a public issue. (Ord. 820, August 2007)
Benton City Municipal Code 9.48 - Specific Nuisances
Placement of signs must not obstruct visibility on roadways, and are not permitted on street right of ways.
Kennewick (Based off information provided in 2007)
In accord with Section 18.65.050 of Kennewick Municipal Code:
Signs associated with City, State, Federal or community sponsored events shall be exempt from this Chapter but must be placed to not obstruct sight visibility and be structurally safe.
Such signs must be removed within seven (7) days following the event. It is the responsibility of the candidate and campaign chairmen to remove political signs, and event chairman in the case of nonpolitical events.
Event signs are not allowed on public property or buildings, sidewalks, public roads, utility poles or public facilities. However, event signs will be allowed in the space between the curb and sidewalk provided there is no traffic visibility obstruction, and the abutting owner’s permission has been granted.
Prosser
1) Any property that is owned by the City of Prosser shall not be used for the placement of political signs.
2) Any property, which is currently leased by the City of Prosser for use by the city, shall not be used for the placement of political signs.
3) Any public right-of-way controlled by the City of Prosser shall not be used for the placement of political signs.
4) Any property abutting the city of Prosser right-of-way, and which property belongs to an adjoining landowner may be used for the placement of political signs, but only after obtaining permission from the abutting landowner.
Richland
“Temporary Political Signs – Richland Municipal Code (RMC) 27.08.040”
A. Purpose:
1) The purpose of this section is to protect the city from visual pollution or litter resulting from the posting of election signs beyond election campaign periods, while at the same time protecting the citizens' right to express political ideology and support of particular candidates or public issues freely.
2) Any political sign, which is erected within the city of Richland, shall be the sole responsibility of the individual or group erecting such sign. Such sign or signs shall comply with all laws of the state of Washington with regard to the information that must be contained thereon, and in the event that there appears thereon no name for the group or individual sponsoring such sign, the individual or organization on whose behalf the sign is erected as determined by the message inscribed thereon shall be responsible for the sign.
3) Public Notice Unaffected. Noting in this section shall be construed to prohibit the placement of public notices required by law.
B. Political Headquarters Signs:
1) Party Headquarters: On-premises political signs are permitted on the premises of political headquarters located in the business districts and in commercial and manufacturing districts, so long as the signs meet the requirements of those districts.
2) Headquarters for Candidate for Ballot Issue: On-premises political signs are permitted on the premises of the headquarters of a candidate for elective public office or on the headquarters of persons supporting or opposing a public issue decided by ballot, when such headquarters are located in the business districts and in commercial and manufacturing districts.
C. Placement of Temporary Political Signs:
1) It is unlawful for any person to place, paste, paint, affix, or fasten on any utility pole, or on or immediately adjacent to the sidewalk, roadway, or on any public building or structure, or in any dedicated public park, any such sign, poster, or bill, or other advertising device when such facilities are located on public property or within public easement.
2) Signs, posters, or bills promoting or publicizing candidates for public office or issues that are to be voted upon in a general or special election may be displayed on private property with the expressed permission of the owner or person entitled to possession thereof.
3) No temporary political sign placed on private property shall exceed thirty-two (32) square feet in area.
4) All temporary political signs shall observe the following minimum setbacks along public streets:
a) Where sidewalks are provided, signs shall be located so that no portion thereof shall be closer than one (1) foot from the sidewalk, on either side.
b) Where no sidewalk exists, signs shall be located a minimum of five (5) feet from the curb, or where no curb exists, from the roadway or parking area edge.
c) At street intersections, signs exceeding thirty (30) inches in height shall be located a minimum of twenty (20) feet from the intersection, as measured along the street.
5) No political sign shall in any way interfere with or obstruct any traffic control device or in any other manner interfere with the control of traffic on the streets of the city of Richland.
D. Duty to Remove Temporary Political Signs:
1) It is the duty of a political candidate to remove those temporary political signs authorized by his/her committee within twenty-four (24) hours of being notified by the sign code administrator to do so.
2) It is the duty of the responsible officer of a political committee proposing or opposing a ballot issue to remove its temporary political signs within twenty-four (24) hours of being notified by the sign code administrator to do so.
3) Removal of Signs Following Election. Any such sign, poster or bill shall be removed within ten (10) days following an election. It shall be the responsibility of the above campaign officer or responsible official to have the signs, posters, or bills removed.
E. Abatement:
1) The display of any political sign in violation of this section shall be presumed to have been done at the direction and request of the campaign officer or responsible official.
2) If any political candidate or committee fails to remove his/her/its temporary political signs within twenty-four (24) hours of being informed by the sign code administrator to do so, the administrator may, with the consent of the rightful occupier of the land upon which the temporary political sign is posted, or pursuant to a lawfully issued warrant, enter upon such land and remove such sign.
3) No person, after proper demand is made pursuant to a lawful warrant, shall fail to permit the sign code administrator to enter promptly and to remove such sign. The cost of such entry and abatement shall be paid by the candidate or political committee whose sign is removed; provided, the rightful occupier of the land rather than a candidate or political committee shall be liable for such costs if the candidate or political committee is denied access to a sign to effect its removal.
4) The sign code administrator may request the assistance of the City Attorney in procuring search warrants or recovering costs enforcing this section.
West Richland
Municipal Code Section 19.12.090 Political Signs
Political Signs, on-premises and off-premises, are permitted as follows:
A. Political signs are permitted if they are stationary, unlighted, and temporary.
B. Political signs are allowed up to a maximum of sixteen (16) square feet in area without a sign permit when located according to WRMC 19.04.020. Political signs greater than sixteen (16) square feet in area shall require a sign permit for each individual sign.
C. Permitted political signs shall not exceed thirty-two (32) square feet in area and ten (10) feet in height.
D. Political signs may be displayed on private property with the consent of the property owner. Property owners shall be responsible for the removal of political signs when the campaign is over.
E. Political signs may be placed in the City street right-of-way; however, political signs in a right-of-way shall not impede vehicular or pedestrian movement or pose a safety hazard, as determined by the Community Development/Planning Director. Political signs are not allowed in the median of major streets. Political signs shall not be allowed in the planting areas of traffic islands.
F. Political signs shall be removed within ten (10) days after a voting day, except that signs promoting successful candidates in a primary election may remain displayed until ten (10) days following the immediately subsequent general election. Failure to remove signs may result in an assessment in the cost of their removal.
(16-00, Added, 07/17/2000)
Benton County
Resolution 72-219; Section II; Paragraph 4
Signs and Billboards: No signs or billboards other than standard traffic control, destination and warning signs shall be placed on County Road rights of way, except that directory type signs of approved design and location may be permitted on access roads, and, institutional facility type directional signs of approved design and location may be permitted on County Roads.
For more information, contact the Benton County Commissioner’s Office.