Allen City Council votes to reduce clutter from political signage

As Allen prepares for its residents to vote on presidential candidates and state and local elections — including a local school bond — the city expects political signage to be heavy this year.

“As we all know, more candidates means more signs,” City Manager Shelley George said during a council meeting on Sept. 8.

But this year, she said, Allen can expect that to look different.

In an effort to reduce the clutter from political signage, she presented four amendments, later approved by the Allen City Council, that will limit the number and size of political signs at city-owned polling locations.

One reduces the time for placement of signs, while another limits the time for placement and removal of tents, canopies and similar temporary structures.

In previous elections, candidates could post signs 72 hours before early voting began and leave them until 72 hours after Election Day voting ended. This change allows candidates to post signs 24 hours before early voting begins with required removal 24 hours after the last vote on Election Day. City documents said this effort allows for a quick return to normal operations around city facilities.

Additionally, limiting time for the use of tents and canopies near a polling location will ensure the proper maintenance and storage of tents used at vote centers and will eliminate unmanned tents on city-owned properties outside of daily voting hours.

Another amendment reduces the maximum sign size from 36 square feet to 6 square feet, which city documents said could eliminate potential damage to city irrigation lines from the signs’ poles. The final amendment limits the number of electioneering signs to four per candidate. There were previously no limitations.

These four amendments change the language on the regulations established by the city in 2014.