With campaign season underway, Lafayette Consolidated Government (LCG) is reminding candidates, campaign volunteers, property owners, and residents about the local regulations governing temporary campaign signs ahead of the November 3, 2026 election.
Beginning Wednesday, August 5, temporary campaign signs may be installed throughout Lafayette Parish. Under the Lafayette Development Code (LDC), campaign signs are classified as temporary one-time event signs and may be displayed beginning 90 days before an election. All campaign signs must be removed within 10 days after Election Day. Following these simple guidelines helps protect visibility for motorists, keeps public rights-of-way clear, and ensures everyone is operating under the same rules throughout election season.
Campaign signs must be placed only on private property with the property owner’s permission. Signs are not permitted within public rights-of-way, including road shoulders, medians, drainage servitudes, or other publicly maintained areas. Because public rights-of-way often extend beyond the edge of the roadway, campaigns and property owners should ensure signs are located entirely on private property before installation.
Campaign Sign Guidelines:
- Campaign signs may be installed beginning August 5, 2026.
- Signs must be placed only on private property with the property owner’s permission.
- Signs may not be placed within public rights-of-way, including medians, road shoulders, drainage servitudes, or other publicly maintained areas.
- Signs must be removed within 10 days after the November 3 election.
The Lafayette Development Code also establishes size limits for temporary signs based on zoning:
- In Residential Single-Family (RS) and Residential Mixed (RM) districts, the combined area of all temporary signs on a property may not exceed 12 square feet.
- In all other zoning districts, the combined area of all temporary signs on a property may not exceed 32 square feet.
LCG's Compliance Division is responsible for enforcing the temporary sign regulations outlined in Section 89-90(k) of the Lafayette Development Code.
If a campaign sign is placed within the public right-of-way, the campaign will be notified and given seven days to remove or relocate the sign onto private property. If the sign remains after that period, LCG’s Compliance Division will remove and store it for up to 30 days, allowing the campaign an opportunity to retrieve it before disposal.
If a temporary sign located on private property exceeds the allowable size requirements, the property owner will be notified and given seven days to correct the violation. Continued noncompliance may result in an administrative hearing.
Residents who believe a campaign sign has been placed within the public right-of-way or otherwise violates the temporary sign regulations may report the issue through LCG’s MGO Connect Portal at mgoconnect.org or by submitting a request through Lafayette 311.
Candidates, campaign volunteers, and property owners are encouraged to review the temporary sign regulations before installing campaign signage. Following these guidelines helps keep roadways safe, protects public property, and ensures a fair and consistent approach throughout election season.
