BANGOR, Maine — Election Day is behind us, so political ads are no longer on TV. But you may still be seeing campaign signs everywhere.
Depending on when you put up your political signs, it may be time to take them down -- not because the election is over, but because of state law.
According to a new law that took effect in 2020, temporary signs, which include campaign signs, placed in the right-of-way can be up for six weeks from Jan. 1 to June 30 and another six weeks between July 1 and Dec. 31.
The same law requires each sign to be labeled with its owner’s name, address, and the date it was put up.
“The candidates do a good job going around afterwards and picking up signs," Bangor Code Enforcement Director Jeff Wallace said. "City council [candidates] kind of team up and help pick up signs. Within a week or two around Bangor, their campaign signs are pretty well taken care of."
If you're planning to retire any campaign signs, remember you can recycle parts of signs depending on the material.
According to ecomaine, most signs are now corrugated plastic, which is essentially plastic cardboard and can't be recycled.
However, signs made of paper that you can easily tear can go in the recycling bin.
Also, those metal stakes that hold up signs can be left in a scrap metal bin at your local transfer station.
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