Local Campaigns with Illegally Posted Political Signs Have the Weekend to Remove their Signs

(Hamilton) -- Because of campaign signs that have once again been illegally placed on township government property or parks, township road rights-of-way, and township easements, Hamilton officials are giving local campaigns the weekend to remove any illegally placed signs.

This week, the Township’s Department of Public Works began notifying local campaigns that have had signs illegally placed in prohibited areas.  Beginning Monday, any signs that are removed will be taken and stored at the Department of Public Works for retrieval. 

“This procedure will be followed, regardless of the candidate or their party affiliation,” says Hamilton Township Business Administrator John Ricci.  “We want to be fair to any campaign that up until this point may have inadvertently placed a sign in a prohibited area.  And we have no intention of disturbing any signs that have been legally placed on private properties, with the consent of the homeowner or property owner.  However, political signs, and any other type of signage for that matter, may not be placed on public, taxpayer-owned and funded property.”

Township owned rights-of-way include areas along roadways, in between the curb and sidewalk, areas along intersections, and approximately 10 ft. inward along roadsides without sidewalks.    

In addition to these areas, any other signs that are placed in a way that creates vision impairments that compromise the safety of motorists will also be removed by the Department of Public Works.

The same procedure was followed by Hamilton officials last year, when several signs were then placed illegally on township-owned properties and areas.  Already this year, there have been several instances in which campaign signs were placed on public park areas like Sayen Gardens and Veterans Park, as well as township-owned rights-of-ways along roads like Route 33.