Sheriff Randy Wright started his re-election campaign a little too soon as far as the city of Shawano is concerned.
Wright had to remove his campaign signs from around the city this week after being told by Building Inspector Mike Miller that he violated a city ordinance specifying when signs are allowed to go up.
The ordinance prohibits campaign signs prior to 60 days before an election; in this case, the Aug. 12 Republican primary.
Wright is potentially facing two challengers in the primary. Shawano Police Officer Adam Bieber and Sheriff’s Capt. Tom Tuma have both taken out nomination papers.
Wright turned in the needed 200 signatures Thursday to get on the ballot, according to the county clerk’s office. The deadline for returning nomination papers is 5 p.m. June 2.
Wright said the city’s yard sign rule had not been strictly enforced in previous years unless someone lodged a complaint about them.
“This year, there happened to be a complaint filed,” he said.
Wright said it took two days to get all of his signs down within the city.
Outside the city limits of Shawano, however, it’s open season for yard signs.
County Clerk Rosemary Rueckert said there used to be a Department of Transportation restriction on campaign signs limiting them to 45 days before an election, but that restriction has since been lifted.
Rueckert said there has been some confusion about that because brochures handed out to candidates still had outdated information from when the restriction was in place back in 2005.
Rules for political and campaign signs posted on the DOT website in November list no time restrictions for campaign signs on private property.
However, the Wisconsin Administrative Code still has the 45-day rule for properties adjacent to the state highway system.
Elsewhere, the Government Accountability Board lists rules about where campaign signs can be placed in relation to polling places, but lists no restrictions about when they can go up.
FYI
City of Shawano Ordinance 10.36 (14). Political signs.
Political message, public election or referenda signs during an election campaign, as defined in W.S.A. s. 12.04(1), limited to one per premises per candidate or referenda question. Political signs may be posted 60 days before an election and must be removed within seven days after said election. Said sign shall be a maximum of 16 square feet.