Can You Swipe Your Neighbor’s Political Sign in New York?

We have all seen political signs up in our neighborhoods. In recent years it feels like they're everywhere that you go. Right now in Albany there's the big election going on for the next Mayor, and everyone has their signs up for the primary vote that happened on Tuesday June 24th.

They aren't the nicest thing to look at and sure, they might annoy you. You may even be tempted to rip one out. But should you?

Are They Legal?

Yes, political signs are obviously totally legal. We see them up during various elections all the time. Those signs fall under free speech. However, if they are placed on public property the town or city could have rules about how or where they can be. A business owner can place those signs on their own property just like a homeowner.

According to NYS election law:

Private property owners have more latitude when placing signs on their property.

 

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So what can happen to you if you decide to take one? Well you could be arrested. That's according to Crime Watch. They posted in 2022 that in New York State it is a class a misdemeanor. What exactly does that mean? it means that you could end up with a $1,000 fine or up to a year in jail.

Keep that in mind next time you think about swiping a sign or taking it down from a piece of private property.

Public property is fair game, but you can't take down your neighbor's signs whether you agree with them or not. NYS election states that if you do have an issue with a sign you can report it to your municipality.