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The 2026 political season is upon us, as demonstrated by the proliferation of political signs sprouting like blossoms across the community’s yards and windows — and the occasional planter box.

This particular political season we’re lucky to have a bumper crop of political newbies in both Arcata and Eureka, many of whom are actively participating in our LoCO Elections forum. Yay democracy!

Of course, political neophytes and their supporters may be unfamiliar with the various municipal regulations governing proper placement of campaign posters, placards, yard signs and the like. A couple of Eureka candidates were notified today by city staff that complaints had been submitted about the location of their campaign materials. 

Campaign signs for both Anil Dwivedi, who’s running for mayor, and Jason McCutcheon, who’s running for the Ward 1 seat on the City Council, were spotted on city property in recent days.

An “Elect Jason McCutcheon” yard sign was spiked into a city-maintained planter at the foot of F Street, near the boardwalk. An “Anil Dwivedi for Mayor” sign was in a planter box across the street, and more were scattered around Eureka, including a couple posted atop poles along Fifth Street (Hwy. 101).

An email to Dwivedi from Assistant City Manager/City Clerk Pam Powell read:

The City has received complaints for the posting of signs related to your campaign on utility poles. Per EMC [Eureka Municipal Code] Section 1280.04 (C) No sign may be secured to a tree, utility pole or trash receptacle. Please remove all signs currently violating this Code. Signs that have been removed by Code Enforcement staff will be available in my office. Attached are the guidelines for political signage. Please remember that political signs cannot be placed in City right of ways or on City Property.

Reached by phone, Dwivedi said he thinks some volunteers placed those signs after attending his campaign launch party over the weekend. 

“About 100 people took signs to put up, so I have no idea where they were put up,” Dwivedi said.

He posted pictures of the campaign launch party to his Facebook page. They appear to have been taken either before or after the big crowd arrived. 

“They should be down by now,” Dwivedi said. “I think [my supporters] were not aware [of the rules].”

McCutcheon likewise said that while he personally is aware of the city’s rules regarding yard signs, not all of his fans are.

“One of my supporters placed a sign on city property without my knowledge,” he told the Outpost via text. “The sign has been taken down, and I have personally already handled the issue with the certain supporter.”

For anyone not in the know, here are the rules for temporary political signs in Eureka:

Temporary political signs may not:

• be placed within the public right-of-way
• be placed so as to obstruct a motorist’s clear view of vehicular or pedestrian traffic, traffic-control signs or signals; impede a pedestrian’s free use of the sidewalk; or otherwise represent a hazard to vehicular or pedestrian traffic
• be located within the sight visibility triangles at street, alley and driveway intersections
• be an imitation of official traffic signs or signals or be located in such a manner that its size, location, content, colors, or illumination shall interfere with, obstruct, confuse, or mislead traffic
• interfere with the free use of any fire escape, exit, or standpipe or obstruct any required stairway, door, ventilator, or windowbe located upon or extend above any part of a roof or false roof structure.
  

And here are the rules in Arcata:

Political, social issue, or special event signs.

These non-illuminated signs are allowed without a sign permit and shall not be prohibited by any other development restrictions (i.e. CC&R’s), provided that the signs:

• Are placed on private property with the property owner’s consent
• Shall not exceed a total aggregate area of 12 square feet on a site within a residential zoning district, and 32 square feet within a non-residential zoning district.
• Are not placed within 15 feet of a fire hydrant, street sign, or traffic signal, or interfere with, confuse, obstruct, or mislead traffic;
• Are not placed unlawfully. The placement of a sign in a public right-of-way in violation of this Chapter or any other provision of the Municipal Code is a nuisance, and any sign so placed may be removed summarily and disposed of by the City; and 
• Political and special event signs are placed no more than 60 days prior to the event and are removed within 10 days after the conclusion of the political campaign or event to which they relate. A sign that is not removed will be removed by the City at the expense of the political candidate or organization involved.

Please note that campaign signs may not be posted on utility poles or in the public right-of-way.