Clock ticking on removal of also-rans campaign signs in Phoenix

PHOENIX — Clean-up time has begun for candidates who lost in Arizona’s primary election.

While their names are off the ballot, many politicians’ campaign signs remain on street corners and in front of homes.

As Valley residents become growingly frustrated with the signs, Phoenix officials warned the clock is ticking for candidates to collect the signs before they end up in the dump.

“This is (their) chance to pick up the signs and when this time period is over, we will recycle them,” Erin Andres said. She works for the city of Phoenix as a sign section supervisor.

Losers have until Sept. 10 to take down signs in the right of way.

“State law governs the ability of campaigns to place (signs) in the right of way … and it tells the city what it can do with those signs in the right of way,” Andres said.

The rules are stricter, however, regarding signs on private property. Those have to be removed by Sept. 5.
“They have less time on private property but they also have private property owners who get involved in the removal of that,” she said. “It’s not just up to the campaign or city staff.”

Residents who would like to voice their complaints about campaign signs should contact the Phoenix’s Planning and Development Department or similar divisions in other Valley cities.

“We just try to work with the candidates to remove the signs and if either their campaign has dissolved or whatever the situation is, we at least recycle them and we do it on a complaint basis,” Andres said.

Candidates who lose in November’s general election will have 10 days to remove signs on private property and 15 days for those in the right of way.

“The same time frame will apply to those who are in the general election as well,” she said. “So by Thanksgiving we should have all of these signs down.”