Election Season – What You Need to Know About Yard Signs

It’s that time of year again — election season. A lot of serious matters get decided and its wonderful to have a voice. But here’s something a lot of people don’t realize: many of those signs you’re seeing are actually missing required legal information. Lets do a quick read on what you need to know about Political/Election Yard Signs!

Simply put: If your sign promotes a candidate, ballot proposal, or political position, Michigan law says it must include a disclosure line at the bottom — typically something like:

“Paid for by the Committee to Elect Someone Name, 123 Sesame St. Benzonia Michigan 49616"

OR

“Paid for by the Committee to Support the Community Project Proposal, 123 Sesame St. Benzonia Michigan 49616"

This identifies who’s responsible for the sign and ensures transparency for voters. Without it, that sign isn’t technically legal — and in some cases, it can even be subject to removal or fines.

It’s a simple fix that keeps your campaign compliant.

If you really want some dry reading you can read up on these laws by search these to read in depth on the requirements:

Legal Laws: Michigan Campaign Finance Act (Act 388 of 1976) — see MCL 169.247  & also Michigan Administrative Code Rule 169.36

It’s a small but important detail, and one worth double-checking if you’re printing or ordering campaign signs this season. Just make sure you’re staying on the right side of election regulations — it’s an easy thing to get right and a headache you definitely don’t want later. Failing to include that “Paid for by…” line isn’t just a small mistake — it’s actually considered a misdemeanor under state law. That means a person or committee could face a fine of up to $1,000 or even 93 days in jail. It’s one of those little details that’s easy to overlook, but it carries real consequences if ignored.

So if you’re printing or reordering campaign signs — whether it’s for city council or county commissioner — double-check that “Paid for by…” line is printed and legible. It’s a small detail that matters a lot this time of year.