Political signs are ubiquitous, but there are rules about where they can go | Know Your Knox

Changing leaves bring a splash of brilliance to Knoxville's landscape during the fall months, and in an election year, another seasonal source of color collects in yards and along street corners: political campaign signs.

They crop up all over, outside homes and in public spaces and on storefronts. But there are rules for what candidates and their supporters can and can't do with yard signs.

Can candidates put signs anywhere?

Candidates have quite a bit of freedom to decide where and how they want to display signs. Candidates, however, can't put signs on any fixtures of public utility companies, such as utility poles, according to Knox County rules.

Signs are allowed along roads as long as they don't obstruct drivers' view. But they have to be less than 32 square feet and can't be displayed for more than 30 days.

The state isn't allowed to regulate the placement of signs on private property as long as they're 100 feet away from the nearest polling site. There are size parameters, though: commercial properties can't have signs bigger than 32 square feet and residential properties can't have signs bigger than 16 square feet. As long as signs conform to the rules, they're protected by Tennessee's Freedom of Speech Act.

How long can political signs stay up?

You've been seeing political signs since long before the August primary because campaigns can start putting signs up 60 days before an election, according to state code.

The code says that at the conclusion of the primary election, candidates who move on to the general election aren't required to remove their signs until after that election. That makes it legal for those candidates to have signs up through Nov. 7 and up to three weeks after.

Candidates who lose in the primary election technically have three weeks to remove their signs, but the code also says that no punitive measure should be taken against candidates if all signs aren't removed.

Do campaign signs work?

Campaign signs are used to generate name recognition. But then again, so are print, digital, radio, television and social media ads. A 2015 study led by Columbia University political science professor Donald Green found that name recognition from signs alone doesn't have a strong effect on a candidate's success. In particular, signs are not effective when they provide partisan cues.

Green told NPR the difference between posting signs and skipping them is between 1 and 2 percentage points, on average. "Hardly earth-shattering, but not nothing, either," he said.

Know Your Knox answers your burning questions about life in Knoxville. Want your question answered? Email [email protected].

Allie Feinberg reports on politics for Knox News. Email her: [email protected] and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @alliefeinberg.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Political yard sign rules: Where and when candidates can advertise