OVIEDO, Fla. – After pushback over the removal of political signs at early voting locations, the city of Oviedo is considering allowing them.
Oviedo City Code currently states that political signs can only be placed outside the polls on “voting day,” which is defined as Election Day. However, that could soon change.
“When the law was first adopted, there was no early voting; there was only one day to vote. So, it makes sense to have written it as it was,” Mayor Megan Sladek said. “But now, maybe we should have all days that the poll is open count as a day that you can vote.”
The city began examining its rules on political signs after it removed dozens of them last fall.
“Candidates line up their signs in front of the polls. That’s what’s done, and it’s not legal in most places, and in Oviedo, it’s not. We had somebody, this last cycle, call code enforcement and say, ‘Follow your rules.’ So, our policy is if somebody reports to code enforcement, then we look at the law on the books and we apply it,” Sladek explained.
After residents expressed their concerns, the city directed staff to recommend amendments for campaign signs on city-owned property.
“I have always, in my own personal campaign, done my best to follow the same rules. I don’t put signs out ahead of time. But I do think that it lends itself to the energy of the opportunity to vote and helps people know, like, ‘I have arrived,’” Sladek said.
This proposed change would not alter the distance signs must be from the polling place, which is 150 feet. It would, however, allow them to be placed in the right-of-way as long as they do not interfere with traffic.
“The First Amendment protects our right to political speech, and we want to make sure that there is a space for that,” Sladek added.
There would be some restrictions: signs could only be 6 square feet, the city reserves the right to designate any of its property serving as a polling place as off-limits and signs can only be on city-owned property that is being used as a polling place.
Oviedo City Council will meet Monday at 6:30 p.m.
