Ah, the time is here. We have finally reached the pre-election season of the great sign wars. No matter your candidate, you no doubt long to declare once and for all the loyalty that can only be expressed through a front yard placard. Or, perhaps, you yearn to see the mounds of political signs along every public roadway suddenly burst into flames. So, what is allowed?

      As for your own yard, while they may be subject to First Amendment issues too complex for this column, on their face, city ordinances and, perhaps, restrictive covenants may apply. Within the Edmond city limits, you may place a temporary political sign in your yard without obtaining a permit, and without following set-back requirements for general signage. Before you drive the stake, though, make sure you do not place the sign in the city’s right of way or easement, which typically runs along the front of your property adjacent to the street. Any sign placed in the easement violates city ordinance and subjects you to sign removal and a potential fine. You should also check any restrictive covenants that may apply to your neighborhood as some prohibit signs or regulate their placement.

      In addition, a sign may not interfere with anyone’s line of sight while entering or exiting traffic. Don’t block a neighbor’s view of the road from her driveway or a driver’s or pedestrian’s view of traffic at an intersection or crosswalk. Signs may not be attached to utility poles, trees or traffic signs. Signs may not have moving parts or lights.

      The same restrictions apply to signs along city roadways outside of residential neighborhoods. Additional state restrictions apply to signs located on public roadways that are maintained by the state.

      For the good citizen concerned with the placement of a sign, or generally irritated at any apparent abuse of the rules, resist the temptation to remove the sign yourself unless it is on your own property. Help is at hand. Both the state and the city patrol the roadways in search of blatant abusers, and often remove improper signs. If the problem is too much to bear, you may contact the Oklahoma Department of Transportation or the City of Edmond to request removal of the sign. And then, of course, you always have the final word in the voting booth.