Commissioner Dianne Edmondson
Did you know that the political signs which are popping up are an extension of our Constitutional right to Free Speech? And they are actually regulated by state law, specifically in the Texas Election Code, Title 15, Chapter 259.
For instance, all signs that may be seen from the road are required to have the following notice: “IT IS A VIOLATION OF STATE LAW (CHAPTERS 392 AND 393) TO PLACE THIS SIGN IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY OF A HIGHWAY.” The law further states that a person who knowingly enters into a contract to print or make a political advertising sign that does not contain this notice, or who places or instructs someone else to place a political sign in a highway right-of-way, is breaking the law. (This does not apply to bumper stickers.)
The signs also must say who paid for them (such as “Dianne Edmondson campaign”) and must use the word “for” the office being sought unless the candidate is the incumbent (such as “John Jones for Judge”).
It is definitely against Texas law to steal or destroy a political sign, though a lot of that still occurs every election cycle. I’ve never understood why someone believes that removing one (or more) political signs really will change the outcome of an election. Those signs do provide candidate name recognition, and within a neighborhood, they allow the property owner to publicly state his or her own choice in the election. For some folks who don’t like to do their own political research but who feel that they generally agree with their neighbor four doors down, it’s an easy way, though not necessarily the recommended way, to make a candidate decision.
Some property owners associations have attempted to prohibit political signs, but Section 259.002 of that same law prohibits the POAs from regulating said signs on or after the 90th day before the date of the election or before the 10th day after the election. The POAs also may regulate size to be no larger than 4 feet by 6 feet (as is done here in Robson Ranch).
So, all the signs we see here in Robson Ranch are legal and, like a poll, somewhat indicative of our community’s overall political leanings. However, as any political consultant will tell you, the only poll that really counts is the one on election day itself! Many people regard their political choices as private and do not display signs or respond to pollsters.
At the various polling sites during Early Voting and on Election Day itself, there will be a lot of signs seeking to remind voters of the candidates’ names. And there likely will be volunteers who attempt to speak with voters entering the polling site. These signs and greeters must stay behind a line marked by the site’s Election Judge, which is to be 100 feet from the entrance to the site. This is called “electioneering” and is permitted under state law.
However, inside the polling site, no “electioneering” is permitted, such as wearing T-shirts or buttons with candidate names or discussing candidates with other voters. The Election Judge has the authority to remove a voter if those rules are violated. Written material about candidates is allowed within the polling site, but not if it’s on your phone. By law, no cell phones are permitted within the polling site. If a voter needs curbside assistance to vote, a private ballot will be brought out to the car by an election worker.
Early voting for the Nov. 5 election begins on Oct. 21 and goes through Nov. 1. Any registered Denton County voter may vote at any of the Early Voting sites, including the one here at the Robson Ranch clubhouse. A full list of Early Voting sites and times can be found at Votedenton.gov where you may also request a ballot by mail (request by Oct. 26, and ballot must be completed and returned by Nov. 5 at 7 p.m.).
Election Day voting also is held right here in Robson Ranch at the clubhouse. With two full weeks of voting at any county polling site and mail ballots and Election Day site locations readily available on the Votedenton.gov website, there simply is no reason for anyone who wants to vote not to do so.
So, please make every effort to vote—it’s not just a privilege—it’s your civic duty!
Commissioner Dianne Edmondson is a Robson Ranch resident. You may contact her by email at [email protected] or phone her at 972-434-3960. You can also stop by her office in the Southwest Courthouse, 6200 Canyon Falls Drive, Suite 900, in Flower Mound.