Deadline Monday To Remove Campaign Signs

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL — It's been more than two weeks since the general election, but you'd never know it by the abundance of campaign signs littering street corners throughout the county.

Candidates and their campaign volunteers have until Monday to remove all political signs from the general election on Nov. 3.

Under Hillsborough County's Land Development Code, those temporary unpermitted signs must be removed from private property within 20 days following the election.

Throughout the election season, Hillsborough County Code Enforcement has been actively removing signs placed in public rights of way — roadways, curbs, sidewalks, trails, power poles, etc. Those areas are always off limits for unpermitted signs, election or not.

Code enforcement has impounded more than 1,600 political signs from 85 campaigns over the past few months. Many of those old signs will find a new life helping code enforcement officers shore up vacant unsecured foreclosure properties.

What to do with leftover election signs?

Corrugated plastic yard signs and the metal stands are not accepted in the blue recycling cart because they require special processing to be properly sorted and recycled.

• Donate
  • Contact a local school or art program to see if they are collecting signs for use in the classroom.
  • Check with candidates' local campaign offices to see if they have a take-back program.

• Reuse
  • Yards signs can be converted into boxes, basket liners, painted over and turned into birthday celebration or garage/yard sale signs, or dozens of other DIY projects.
• Dispose
  • Metal frames or stands can be separated from the signs and brought to one of the county's waste facilities or to a local scrapyard to be recycled. Do not place the metal frame in your recycling cart.
  • Yard signs can be placed in the gray curbside garbage cart or, where available, a community dumpster.