Unless you've been living under a rock, like, a massive boulder, I'm sure you're very aware we are in an election year and it is nearly election day, November 5th. It almost feels like everywhere you look Harris-Walz or Trump-Vance signs are lining the streets or your neighbor's lawn.

But with this in mind, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has pretty specific rules about where you can actually place these political signs and where you can't. 

⬇️VIEW ALL OF MICHIGAN'S FUN "I VOTED" STICKERS⬇️

Nebraska's 'Blue Dot' Draws National Attention In Razor-Thin Election
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Use Your Voice (Respectfully)

Putting campaign signs in your yard, bumper stickers on your car, or putting signs up in your business declaring who you support are all perfectly okay. That's because those places are considered private property. Those are your signs on your property, and cannot be messed with in any way.

In Michigan,

stealing or defacing political signs is a misdemeanor that can carry a maximum penalty of a $500 fine or imprisonment of up to 90 days in jail.

So even if you don't like the other candidate or the sign owner, they have every right to put it there. Getting caught stealing signs is more trouble than it's worth. However, public property is another story.

 

Michigan Braces For A Close November Election
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No Signs Allowed

Generally, it is illegal to put signs on public property. Many of the signs you see placed on electrical poles, along the road, etc. have been illegally placed there. Signs that are illegally placed are removed by MDOT crews and kept for 7 days before being discarded. These illegally placed signs can be reported here.

Michigan Holds Its Primary Election
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According to the State of Michigan, only candidates who have requested and received permission may place political advertising on along public roads, highways, and interstates. Approved advertising has very specific parameters beyond that.

So, here's the takeaways:

Do:

  • Put signs on private property
  • report illegal signs to MDOT
  • If you're looking to remove signs, remove the illegally placed ones on public property

Don't:

  • Put signs on public property
  • Take people's signs from private property

 

If you vote early or show up to vote on November 5th, these are the stickers you could receive.

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Winners of Michigan 'I Voted' Sticker Competition - Including Viral Werewolf Design

In Spring of 2024, Michigan launched the "I Voted" sticker design contest.

More than 480 designs were submitted and over 57,700 public votes were cast for the winners.

Three winning designs were selected from each separate category:
  • Elementary/middle school (grades K-8)
  • High school (grades 9-12)
  • General entry (open to Michigan residents of all ages)
Check out the nine winners below, including a werewolf design by a middle-schooler that people are LOVING online.

Gallery Credit: Janna

All ArtPrize Winners from 2009 to 2024

In its 15th year, ArtPrize continues to draw hundreds of thousands of people to Downtown Grand Rapids each year to explore the art and venues dispersed throughout the city. While there are many winners each year, there is only ONE Grand Prize winner determined by the public via voting. Here is each winner from 2009 to now. All photos are courtesy of ArtPrize.

Gallery Credit: Tommy McNeill

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