Can you put political campaign signs by the road in Kansas? Here are state and local rules

With election season heating up, you may have noticed political campaign signs going up along roads.

With the Aug. 6 primary election is a little more than a month away, here's what to know about political campaign sign rules.

Political campaign sign rules for Kansas highways

The Kansas Department of Transportation said that all political campaign signs and billboards are prohibited in highway rights of way.

"By law, all right of way on state highways is exclusively for public highway purposes," KDOT said in a news release . "Only regulatory, guide signs and warning signs placed by KDOT are allowed on the 9,500-mile state highway system. KDOT has jurisdiction over all interstate, Kansas and U.S. routes."

The agency said that "signs will be removed immediately and without notice" if a KDOT maintenance crew finds them in the right of way of a state highway. Such signs are taken to the closest KDOT office and, if not retrieved, are disposed of after the election.

Political signs can still be placed along highways, just not in the right of way.

"Political campaign advertising is allowed on private property bordering state right of way," KDOT said. "However, people placing or erecting signs on private property must first obtain permission from the property owner."

Political campaign sign rules are different for local roads

Unlike KDOT and state highways, local governments are prohibited from banning political signs in rights of way owned by a city or county.

A state law, K.S.A. 25-2711 , passed in 2015 states that "no city or county shall regulate or prohibit the placement of or the number of political signs on private property or the unpaved right-of-way for city streets or county roads on private property during the 45-day period prior to any election and the two-day period following any such election."

It is already less than 45 days before the Aug. 6 Election Day, so local governments are in the period where they cannot ban political signs along roads.

However, cities and counties are allowed the regulate the size of signs and establish a set-back distance "so as not to impede sight lines or sight distance for safety reasons."

City of Topeka rules for political campaign signs

In Topeka, the city provides candidates with a document on political signage. It outlines how state law applies and notes that, typically, the right of way extends 15 feet behind the curb or one foot behind public sidewalks in residential areas.

"Utility poles are a good indicator of where the right-of-way ends," the document states.

Signs aren't permitted to be attached to utility poles or traffic signs and signals. They also cannot be within the sight triangle at intersections.

After the third day following an election, signs may not exceed six square feet in residential zoning areas or 32 square feet elsewhere.

When there are violations, the city will send written notice to the candidate, who must remove the sign within three days or else it will be impounded. The owner of the sign has 10 days to get it back but must pay any fines and fees. After 10 days, the sign is disposed of.

Fees are $50 for every day the violation existed after the third day following an election, plus a $30 removal fee per sign.

Shawnee County rules for political campaign signs

For Shawnee County public works, county spokesperson Amanda Monhollon said the state law "means we do not disturb political signs within the 'non-travel way' portions of the ROW during the 47-day 'permitted' period except when sight lines or sight distances are compromised, thereby impacting public safety."

Shawnee County election commission Andrew Howell said sign placement can become an issue for his office on Election Day.

"The Election Office has no role in regulation of sign placement until Election Day when the electioneering statute comes in to play which requires that no signs be closer than 250 feet from the entrance to a polling place," he said.

Jason Alatidd is a Statehouse reporter for The Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached by email at jalatidd@gannett.com. Follow him on X @Jason_Alatidd .

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Can you put political campaign signs by the road in Kansas? Here are state and local rules