Election yard sign rules in Alabama and Georgia

Not legal advice. This is a plain-English summary for sign buyers, current as of October 17, 2026. Laws and local ordinances change. Check with your county election office, city code office, or campaign attorney before you rely on it.

Key dates

• November 3, 2026: general election in both states (Ballotpedia).
• December 1, 2026: Georgia general election runoff, for races where no candidate gets a majority (Georgia.gov).

1. Keep signs back from the polls

Georgia: 150 feet. Under O.C.G.A. § 21-2-414, no one may display campaign material within 150 feet of the outer edge of any building with a polling place, inside a polling place, or within 25 feet of any voter standing in line (Brennan Center summary). County election offices note this includes signs on vehicles and hand-held signs (example: Walton County).

Alabama: 30 feet. Under Ala. Code § 17-9-50, no one other than voters, election officials, watchers and listed officials may be within 30 feet of the door of the polling place building. Campaigning is allowed outside that zone (NASS summary).

2. Stay out of the road right-of-way

Georgia. Georgia Code 32-6-51 makes it unlawful to place a sign within the right-of-way of any public road unless it's authorized. GDOT says violations are a misdemeanor that can bring a fine of up to $1,000 and/or up to 12 months in jail, and its crews pull hundreds of signs in election years. Owners can reclaim removed signs from the local GDOT office (GDOT). If there are power poles, the right-of-way usually runs to behind the poles.

Columbus, GA. The city runs "Operation Illegal Sign Roundup" to clear signs from city right-of-way: streets, sidewalks, utility poles, medians and the area next to the street. The city manager said the city would ask the court for the maximum $1,000 fine (Ledger-Enquirer).

Alabama. ALDOT treats unofficial signs on state right-of-way as encroachments. It removes them and stores them for up to 90 days, and owners can ask for them back at the district office (ALDOT). ALDOT crews are told to promptly remove political signs attached to traffic signs or sign posts (WZDX). Some Alabama counties also have their own local laws on political signs.

The safe move in both states: put signs on private property, with the owner's permission, set back from the road. Never on utility poles, medians or traffic sign posts.

3. Print the right "paid for by" line

Alabama. Ala. Code § 17-5-12 requires paid political advertisements to identify who paid for them. The Alabama Law Institute's election handbook says the ad must include the full address of the person or group paying: name, street or P.O. box, city and state (Alabama Election Handbook, ch. 20).

Georgia. NCSL could not find a general Georgia statute on disclaimers for political ads (NCSL), but independent committees must state that they paid for communications meant to affect an election (O.C.G.A. § 21-5-34(f)(3), per this guide). Confirm with the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission or your treasurer.

Federal races (both states). FEC rules require a disclaimer in a printed box set apart from the rest of the sign. 12-point type is a safe-harbor size for signs up to 24×36 inches, and black text on white is a safe-harbor color contrast (FEC).

4. Design tips that survive a drive-by

• Candidate name as big as the sign allows. Office and "Vote" second. Everything else small.
• Two or three high-contrast colors. Check the proof on your phone at arm's length.
• Leave room for the disclaimer from the start so it isn't squeezed in at the end.
• 18×24 is the standard lawn size, and it fits a regular H-stake.

5. Order timing

We make yard signs in 3–5 business days after you approve the proof, plus shipping. Our bulk campaign sign packs (25, 50 or 100, stakes included) start at $309 for 25. For a runoff, order the day you know you're in it. For one-off signs, see custom yard signs.

6. After the election

There's no single statewide removal deadline for every political sign. Cities and counties set their own rules, and signs in the right-of-way can be removed at any time. Pull yours up the week after the election and recycle or store the stakes for next time.