Early Voting began on Tuesday and campaign signs for candidates running in the Primary Election littered the Judicial Center lawn.
In December of last year, the county commissioners approved an amended sign ordinance they said would eliminate confusion between similar ordinances in Hamilton County’s cities and towns.
The commissioners, in a unanimous vote, passed Amended Ordinance No. 11-25-19-A at their Dec. 19 meeting. The amended proposal prohibits the placement of all non-public safety signs within public rights-of-way in the unincorporated areas of Hamilton County, along roads and bridges maintained by Hamilton County, and on land owned by the county.
After the amended ordinance was passed in December, with a Feb. 1, 2020 enactment date, Hamilton County Commissioner Steve Dillinger said, “When it comes right down to it, this is really a matter of safety. Poorly placed signs increase visual clutter, distract drivers, and make it difficult to obey street and traffic signs.”
On Tuesday, Hamilton County Reporter Publisher Jeff Jellison asked Commissioners Dillinger and Mark Heirbrandt if the signs on the Judicial Center lawn violated the county ordinance.
Although the ordinance specifically states signs are prohibited from county owned real estate, both commissioners said the issue was brought up at their May 18 meeting, and by a unanimous decision, commissioners decided to allow campaign signs at county owned facilities with polling stations. Both commissioners confirmed the ordinance was not amended to permit the signs to be placed on county owned property.