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FACT BRIEF

Is it a crime in Arizona to remove or alter political signs in public areas?

By Carmela Guaglianone
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YES

It is a misdemeanor for an individual to remove or change a political sign in Arizona in the months leading up to and immediately following an election. Only the candidate or committee responsible for a sign can alter or discard it, even when the sign is on public property.

State law generally bans the alteration or removal of legitimate political signs by town, city or county officials unless they are a public safety hazard, obstruct clear vision or fail to include the name and contact information of the candidate or campaign committee. If a sign violates these standards and its placement is deemed an emergency, officials can move it, but they must alert the campaign afterward. Absent an emergency, officials must give the campaign 24 hours to remove or relocate the sign.

Some cities, towns and counties, have implemented additional regulations.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Arizona Legislature Political signs; printed materials; tampering; violation; classification; definitions
City of Phoenix Planning & Development Department Political Signs
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting
The Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting is the state’s only independent, nonpartisan and collaborative nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide, data-driven investigative reporting. AZCIR's mission is to hold powerful people and institutions accountable by exposing injustice and systemic inequities through investigative journalism.
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About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.