Santa Paula, CA Sign Regulations: Political Signs (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit Required
- No: protected speech
- Size Limit (Residential)
- 6 sq ft per sign
- Quantity
- No limit on private property
- Earliest Display
- 90 days before election
- Removal Deadline
- 10 days after election
Summary
Political signs in Santa Paula are protected speech under the First Amendment and California Elections Code §18370. Residential properties may display political signs without a permit. Signs may not exceed 6 sq ft in residential zones. Public right-of-way signs are prohibited.
18370. (a) A person shall not, on election day, or at any time that a voter may be casting a ballot, within the 100 foot limit specified in subdivision (b), do any of the following:
(1) Circulate an initiative, referendum, recall, or nomination petition or any other petition.
(2) Solicit a vote or speak to a voter on the subject of marking the voter's ballot.
(3) Place a sign relating to voters' qualifications or speak to a voter on the subject of the voter's qualifications except as provided in Section 14240.
(4) Do any electioneering as defined by Section 319.5.
(b) The activities described in subdivision (a) are prohibited within 100 feet of either of the following:
(1) The entrance to a building that contains a polling place as defined by Section 338.5, an elections official's office, or a satellite location.
(2) An outdoor site, including a curbside voting area, at which a voter may cast or drop off a ballot.
(c) A person shall not, on election day, or at any time that a voter may be casting a ballot, do any of the following within the immediate vicinity of a voter in line to cast a ballot or drop off a ballot:
(1) Solicit a vote.
(2) Speak to a voter about marking the voter's ballot.
(3) Disseminate visible or audible electioneering information.
(d) Any person who violates any of the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor.
Full Breakdown
Under the First Amendment and California Elections Code §18370, homeowners in Santa Paula may display political signs on their own property without a permit. Residential political signs may not exceed 6 sq ft per sign face. There is no limit on the number of political signs on private property. Signs may be posted up to 90 days before an election and must be removed within 10 days after the election under California elections code (though enforcement of removal is rare). Political signs may not be placed on public property, in the public right-of-way, on utility poles, or on traffic signs. The city cannot regulate the content of political signs. Temporary political banners on private property may be subject to different size limits.
Violations & Fines
Signs on public property or in the right-of-way may be removed by the city. Interfering with someone's political sign on their own property is a misdemeanor under Elections Code §18370. The city generally does not fine for political signs on private property: enforcement focuses on public right-of-way placement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for political signs in Santa Paula?
Can the city remove my political sign?
How early can I put up political signs?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Paula
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Political Signs in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Ventura County handle political signs.