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Political Sign & Campaign Regulations

Municipal ordinances and general rules for campaign signage and boundaries

Pursuant to the Tennessee Code Annotated (TCA) 2025, state law establishes a superseding legal framework regarding the display of political campaign signs. Under the "Tennessee Freedom of Speech Act" (TCA § 2-7-143), local governments are prohibited from regulating the shape or quantity of political signs placed on private property by the owner or resident, provided the signs are located more than 100 feet from a polling place.

This protection begins sixty (60) days before early voting begins and extends until the first day after voting ends. Municipalities may limit the size of these signs to thirty-two (32) square feet for commercial properties and sixteen (16) square feet for residential properties.

• Size: Political signs larger than 32 square feet are governed as off-premise signs, unless placed at a campaign headquarters where they are regulated as on-premise signs.
• Placement: Signs 32 square feet or smaller that are under 36 inches in height must be placed at least five (5) feet from the closest edge of the pavement or curb. Signs over 36 inches in height must be set back at least ten (10) feet. No sign may be placed closer than twenty-five (25) feet to intersecting public or private streets. Signs are expressly prohibited on curbstones, sidewalks, streets, trees, utility poles, public rights-of-way, medians, and roundabouts.
• Timing: All signs must be removed within fifteen (15) days after the election to which they refer. Signs erected for a primary election may remain if they are valid for the subsequent general election.

• Size: In non-residential districts with less than 50 feet of frontage, the maximum sign area is 20 square feet and the maximum height is 6 feet; for lots with more than 50 feet of frontage, the maximum area is 30 square feet and the maximum height is 8 feet. In residential districts, no sign may exceed 6 feet in height, and the maximum area is restricted to 9 square feet per sign (or 18 square feet for a double-sided sign). This ordinance limits residential signs to 9 square feet, but TCA § 2-7-143(b)(1)(B)(ii) authorizes local governments to limit residential signs to sixteen (16) square feet in size.
• Placement: Political signs may be placed on privately owned property with the consent of the property owner, and a sign permit is not required. Signs are strictly prohibited in all zoning districts on public rights-of-way, utility poles, trees, rocks, and as portable signs.

• Size: Political signs with a sign area greater than 32 square feet are subject to off-premise sign provisions, except at campaign headquarters.
• Placement: On city property, signs are restricted to designated official poll locations and the placement of candidates' tents is subject to a city council lottery system. On private property, signs under 10 square feet must be set back at least five (5) feet from the pavement or curb, while signs between 10 and 32 square feet require a ten-foot (10') setback. All signs must be set back 25 feet from intersecting streets and cannot be attached to trees, utility poles, or public sidewalks. Any person planning to erect signs must file their contact information with the office of the building official.
• Timing: On city property, signs may be placed no more than 24 hours in advance of the election date and must be removed within 24 hours following the election. On private property, the municipal code states that no political sign shall be posted more than sixty (60) days in advance of the date "voting begins". However, under TCA § 2-7-143, state law guarantees the right to display signs beginning sixty (60) days before "early voting" begins. Signs must be removed within fifteen (15) days after the election.

• Size: Signs with an area greater than 32 square feet are governed by off-premise sign regulations, provided that signs at a campaign headquarters are governed as on-premise signs.
• Placement: Political signs are not permitted on any city property. On private property, signs 32 square feet or less must be set back at least seven (7) feet from the pavement or curb, except for poster-type signs (no larger than 18 by 24 inches), which may be placed three (3) feet from the pavement or curb. Signs must be set back 25 feet from intersecting streets. Signs are entirely prohibited on public sidewalks, trees, and utility poles located on public property or street rights-of-way. Contact information for the responsible party must be filed with the office of the building inspector.
• Timing: The municipal code states that signs may be placed 60 days "before an election" and must be removed within fifteen (15) days after the election. However, under TCA § 2-7-143, state law guarantees the right to display signs beginning sixty (60) days before "early voting" begins.

Exception for Normal Activities: Pursuant to TCA § 2-7-111(b)(2), while solicitation or collection for any cause is prohibited in this zone, the law expressly excludes the normal activities that may occur at the polling place if it is located at a church, school, or grocery store.

✅ What is allowed?

Inside the Boundary: Individual voters are permitted to carry campaign literature or sample ballots inside the boundary for their own personal use while voting, provided these items are not displayed to others. Additionally, vehicles with small bumper stickers supporting a candidate or party may park within the boundary while the owner is voting. However, this does not apply to vehicles displaying large campaign signs or those used primarily for transporting groups of people for campaigning purposes.

Outside the Boundary: TCA § 2-7-111(b)(3) explicitly states that nothing prohibits a person from wearing a button, cap, hat, pin, shirt, or other article of clothing outside the established 100-foot boundary, even if they are still on the property where the polling place is located.

The Officer of Elections at each site is responsible for measuring this boundary and maintaining a neutral environment for all voters.