ELECTION SIGNAGE
An election sign is a sign which encourages a person to vote for a particular political candidate, political party, referenda or matter relating to any Federal, State, or Local Government election, however, excludes bumper stickers.
Main Roads Requirements
With regard to road reserves, Main Roads has its own requirements – refer attached extract from the Main Roads Policy (Policy and Application Guidelines for Advertising Signs Within and Beyond State Road Reserves). Please note the following requirements:
4.4.3.2 Location
Temporary event signs (which includes election signage) shall not be located:
- on traffic islands, including roundabouts
- on median strips
- on road verges with a road speed limit greater than 90 km/h
- where they are at risk of causing an obstruction to the passage or sightlines of drivers, bicyclists or pedestrians travelling along or crossing roads or driveways
- within 100 m of a roadworks site
Temporary event signs shall not be attached to:
- existing signs, including other advertising signs
- any road-related infrastructure such as traffic sign supports, overhead bridges, bus shelters, lighting/power poles, etc, or trees
If attached to any infrastructure that encroaches over the road reserve or if suspended from ropes, wires, etc from any building or other infrastructure, written agreement must be obtained from the owner of the building or infrastructure.
Council Requirements
Council allows for election signage within local road reserves in accordance with its Local Law “Activities on Thoroughfares and Trading in Thoroughfares and Public Places 2001”. Section 3.6 of that Local Law states as follows:
3.6 Conditions on election sign
If the local government approves an application for a permit for the erection or placement of an election sign on a thoroughfare, the application is to be taken to be approved subject to the sign
- being erected at least 30m from any intersection;
- being free standing and not being affixed to any existing sign, post, power or light pole, or similar structure;
- being placed so as not to obstruct or impede the reasonable use of a thoroughfare, or access to a place by any person;
- being placed so as not to obstruct or impede the vision of a driver of a vehicle entering or leaving a thoroughfare or crossing;
- being maintained in good condition;
- not being erected until the election to which it relates has been officially announced;
- being removed within 24 hours of the close of polls on voting day;
- not being placed within 100m of any works on the thoroughfare;
- being securely installed;
- not being an illuminated sign;
- not incorporating reflective or fluorescent materials; and
- not displaying only part of a message which is to be read with other separate signs in order to obtain the whole message
If an election sign is fixed to the road reserve side of a property boundary fence, then it is deemed to be within the road reserve. Such signage would also be non-compliant with c3.6(b) above as any electoral signage must be free standing. There is election signage already located on road reserves throughout the Shire and some of it would not comply with the Local Law provisions as outlined above.
For further information please contact Shire officers on 9576 4600 or email chatter@chittering.wa.gov.au. Alternatively, the Shire’s Local Planning Policy No 5 - Signage and Activities on Thoroughfares and Trading in Thoroughfares and Public Places Local Law is available online.