Political signs are protected noncommercial speech in California. Under state law (Bus. & Prof. Code 5405.3) temporary political signs are allowed on private property from 90 days before an election through 10 days after, up to 32 square feet. Lincoln's Title 16 Signs regulates time/place/manner consistent with Reed v. Town of Gilbert (2015), meaning the City cannot single out political signs for stricter content-based limits than other temporary signs.
Lincoln Municipal Code Title 16 (Signs) governs all sign regulation within City limits, including private-property political signs (see Municode portal: library.municode.com/ca/lincoln/codes/code_of_ordinances). State law sets the floor: California Business and Professions Code 5405.3 expressly authorizes temporary political signs on private property, capping the regulated window at 90 days before the scheduled election through 10 days after, with a maximum size of 32 square feet and a filed 'statement of responsibility' identifying who will remove the sign and reimburse removal costs if needed. Cities may not impose content-based restrictions singling out political/campaign messages following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Reed v. Town of Gilbert, 576 U.S. 155 (2015); any durational or size limit Lincoln applies must apply equally to all temporary noncommercial signs. Political signs may NOT be placed in the public right-of-way, on utility poles, in medians, attached to traffic-control devices, or within Caltrans right-of-way along State Routes 65 or 193. Signs visible from landscaped freeway segments are restricted under BPC 5405.3. Homeowners' association rules also cannot prohibit noncommercial signs displayed from a separate interest under Civil Code 4710, though HOAs may set reasonable size/material limits.
Signs placed in the City right-of-way or on public property are subject to removal by Public Works without prior notice as abandoned signs. Sign violations under Title 16 are typically enforced as administrative citations under Lincoln Municipal Code Title 1 general penalty provisions: first violation up to $100, second within 12 months up to $200, third and subsequent up to $500 per Gov. Code 36900(b). Caltrans removes signs in state right-of-way and may bill the responsible party identified on the statement of responsibility for removal costs.
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