Ask Mr. Answer Person: "What are the guidelines for putting up signs in yards for the upcoming elections?"

Sheryl e-mails Mr. Answer Person: "What are the guidelines for putting up signs in yards for the upcoming elections?  Do they need to be so far from the road and driveways?  How long can they be up?  The county recorder race signs are already up for certain individuals and it seems kind of early.  

Mr. Answer Person responds:  Yes, it seems like we're seeing political yard signs earlier than usual this year.  However, County Auditor Ben Steines tells us there are no state laws regulating when the signs can be put up.

Traditionally political campaigns waited to put up yard signs until after the second Tuesday of September.   However, that was an unofficial starting date.  Decorah City Administrator Jerry Freund says the only deadline is that political yard signs must be removed within one week following the election to which they pertain.  There's no regulation with regard to a period prior to the election.

As for your question about the correction location for political yard signs, the signs cannot be located in the area between the road and the sidewalk.  The City's Zoning Code requirements provide that political signs are to be on private property.

More information about political campaign rules can be found by visiting http://www.iowa.gov/ethics/

Barb Ettleson's campaign has put up yard signs...

...as has Teresa Bockman's campaign