State and local candidates need to start collecting their campaign signs
May 23—princeton — Campaign signs seemed to sprout along the roadways and at many an intersection offering a vantage point as the 2024 Primary Election approached, but now highway officials are urging candidates to start taking those signs down.
Before the election on May 14, the West Virginia Department of Transportation reminded candidates running for national, state and local office laws regarding political signs placed on any state right-of-way.
Candidates and their supporters were told by WVDOH officials that state workers would pull up any signs from the state right-of-ways and, for a short time, store them in the county highway offices to be picked up later by the candidates or their representatives. Removing these signs took time away from the workers' maintenance tasks.
Commissioner Greg Puckett with the Mercer County Commission said Tuesday that a lot of political signs are still up.
Puckett said he was recently told by the state Division of Highways that workers will start early next week taking down campaign signs that have been left standing.
"If any elected officials wants to get them, they need to get them soon," Puckett said.
According to the West Virginia Code 17-19-1, advertisements including political signs cannot be placed in the right-of-way of public roads and highways.
The offense is a misdemeanor with a possible fine of $25 to $100.
Contact Greg Jordan at
Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com
