Campaign season is in full swing, and with the primary election less than two months away, El Dorado city officials wanted to remind candidates about the city ordinance regarding campaign signs.
Campaign signs promoting candidates for local, state and federal offices, have been planted around town for the past several weeks.
The El Dorado Police Department has received at least one report of sign theft.
El Dorado mayoral candidate Bill Luther told police on Friday that several campaign signs were missing from different locations, including two in the 900 block of Kenwood, one in the 100 block of Glenwood and one in the area of 19th and College.
Luther said the theft occurred on Thursday night.
Such incidents and others, including signs being posted in places prohibited by law, routinely occur during election/campaign season in El Dorado.
To help prevent these issues for the 2018 elections, city officials said they wanted candidates to be aware of local ordinances that regulate campaign signs.
Per city ordinance, campaign signs must be removed within seven days following the final election to which they apply.
Early voting begins on May 7 for the primary election and Election Day is May 22. Runoff elections, if necessary, will be held on June 19.
The general election is slated for Nov. 6, with early voting starting on Oct. 22.
Campaign signs may be placed on private property with the property owner’s permission, as long as the property owner agrees to remove the signs within seven days of the final election.
Failure to do so could result in a citation and a fine of up to $1,000 for the property owner.
Candidates and their volunteers are prohibited from placing signs on city-owned property.
Another city ordinance prohibits signs, campaign and otherwise, from impeding pedestrian traffic, such as on sidewalks.
It is also unlawful to place campaign signs on highway rights-of-way in the state. The law applies to all unauthorized signs, not just campaign signs.
Small yard signs that are placed on the right of way will be removed by Arkansas Department of Transportation personnel.
Owners of large billboard-type signs will be notified and given an opportunity to remove the signs before ARDoT staff removes them.
The signs may be picked up during normal business hours at the nearest ARDoT Area Maintenance Headquarters in Camden.
Tia Lyons may be contacted at 870-862-6611 or tlyons@ eldoradonews.com.