Lawn signs play a large role in elections and we will see our share during the upcoming elections for Cochrane and Rocky View councils and school boards.

There are, however, rules that must be followed. 

Right now, the only place candidates are allowed to post signs is on private property and that's something incumbent Morgan Nagel has already started to do. He has a supply of 200 signs and he expects many of those will be on private property with permission from the owner.

While the candidates' information guide says signs on public land are discouraged they are allowed, providing specific rules are followed, explains returning officer Jaylene Knight.

Election signs can be displayed on public spaces only after nomination day when the candidates' list becomes official. There's a 24-hour window to withdraw, so signs could start to appear on public land on Sept. 18 at 12 noon.

Even then, their sign placement must follow the regulations within the town's traffic and land-use bylaw in regards to size and location and they are not allowed to be fixed to fences.

No signs can be on display outside of a building used as a polling station, nor are they allowed on centre meridians on Quigley Drive, 5th Ave. Railway St.and Griffin Road. They cannot be 10m of traffic control devices (stop signs, yield signs, etc.) or 10m of pedestrian crosswalks

Other land-use bylaw general sign rules likely will apply, including:

- its position, shape, colour, or illumination should not be such that it is confused with official traffic signs;

- cannot be placed in such a way it reduces the number of parking stalls, loading spaces or in such a manner that they obstruct the use of parking or loading area

"If they are placed contrary to the bylaws, municipal enforcement will be removing the signs bring them to the RancheHouse and we will contact the candidate to retrieve them from here and let them know why they were removed."

When the election is over on Oct. 16, there's a requirement to remove all signs from public property within 48 hours.

Sign removal and defacing commonly occurs during elections, but the town bylaw officers will not be policing this, she says, unless they directly witness the incident. However, those caught will be subject to a fine of up to $200 through Alberta Local Authorities Election Act. 

Last election, mayoral candidate Ivan Brooker was upset to discover he had a large number of his signs stolen. They had been stashed in the woods and were quickly recovered.

In another case, council candidate Dan Cunin had to remove his highway sign because it was erected before nominations had officially closed.

Alberta Transportation also has its own set of rules and concerns about election signs posted on public land. Like thw town, they are only allowed to be posted when the nomination list is official and must be removed no later than three days after the election.

They cannot utilize lights nor have any moving parts and must not in any way imitate the appearance of traffic control devices or use words commonly associated with traffic signs, such as stop, stop ahead and yield.

According to Alberta Transportation guidelines, these signs should be placed as far away from the shoulder line as practical and cannot be closer than two metres from the edge of pavement or gravel shoulder. They are not allowed on medians of a divided provincial highway and cannot be mounted on highway signs or sign posts. Nor can be placed within 500m of construction zones, obstruct the view of an intersection or be placed within 250 metres of an intersection in rural area.

Signs can be no larger than one a a half square metres in size along Alberta highways.

Candidates will be notified of signs contravening these guidelines and will be required to remove them. Should they not be removed within the specified time they will be  be stored in the nearest highway maintenance facility or Alberta Transportation district office.

Neither the municipalty or Alberta Transportation accept responsibility for any signs damaged.