Election signs
Council regulates the display of certain advertising devices on public and private land via its Local Laws. This includes election signage.
Election Signs Local Law 2019 regulates the number, size, location and timing of election signs displayed in the Moreton Bay region.
What is an election sign?
An election sign is generally a temporary corflute sign or poster that is able, or is intended, to:
- influence a person about voting at a government election or referendum
- affect the result of any government election or referendum.
When can election signs be displayed?
You can display an election sign for up to six weeks prior to the polling day for the election and for up to one week after the polling day for the election.
How many election signs can be displayed?
The maximum number of election signs that may be displayed at any one time is set out in the following table:
| Who does the sign promote? |
Max signs |
| Division 1-10 local government candidate |
60 |
| Division 11-12 local government candidate |
120 |
| State government candidate |
120 |
| Federal government candidate |
200 |
| Mayoral candidate |
300 |
What size can election signs be?
Election signs displayed on public land must be 600 x 900 millimetres. Election signs displayed on private land must either be 600 x 900 millimetres high or 900 x 1200 millimetres.
Where can’t election signs be displayed?
Election signs must not be displayed within:
- three metres of a road with a speed limit of 80 kilometres per hour or less
- six metres of a road with a speed limit of more than 80 kilometres per hour.
Election signs must not be displayed within 20 metres of:
- roundabouts
- school zones
- cross-intersections and T-intersections
- railway level crossings
- pedestrian crossings
- traffic signs requiring a driver to stop, give way, change speed, change direction or change lane
- bus stops.
For information on how to calculate this 20-metre distance, see the election signs guidelines(PDF, 3MB).
How must election signs be displayed?
An election sign may only be displayed if it is:
- made of corrugated plastic
- made of corrugated plastic
- at least three millimetres thick
- not illuminated or reflective
- not made up of electronic or moving parts
- maintained in a good state of repair always
- covered by a public liability insurance policy for at least $20 million per occurrence
- rectangular, with the lowest edge of the sign being parallel to the ground.
Private Land
On private land, an election sign may only be displayed if it is:
- no more than 2.5 metres above ground-level
- no more than two election signs will be displayed on that land (unless the election sign is double-sided, in which case only one sign is allowed)
- at least two metres away from any other election sign; and
- the property owner or occupier consents to the display.
Public land
On public land, an election sign may only be displayed if it is:
- displayed in an A-frame;
- at least three metres from any other election sign
- no more than three election signs are within a nine metre radius
- perpendicular to any adjacent road
- not obstructing pedestrian traffic
- supervised by a person aged 17 years and above (note: a person can only supervise up to three signs).
What exceptions apply to polling booths?
For polling booths on private land:
- there is no minimum separation distance between election signs
- more than two signs promoting a candidate can be displayed on that land
- BUT signs cannot be placed to obstruct a sign that has already been placed at the booth
- all other rules still apply.
For polling booths on public land:
- there is no minimum separation distance between election signs
- more than three signs promoting a candidate can be displayed on that land (or within a 9 metre radius)
- election signs do not need to be displayed in A-frames
- BUT signs cannot be placed to obstruct a sign that has already been placed at the booth
- all other rules apply.
For nature strips adjacent to polling booths:
- there is no minimum separation distance between election signs
- up to three election signs promoting a candidate can be displayed per frontage/entrance of the polling booth
- BUT signs cannot be placed to obstruct a sign that has already been placed at the booth
- all other rules apply.
Want to display election signs in a way that doesn’t comply with the rules?
Contact Council for an Exceptional circumstances for election signs - Installation of advertising devices under the Local Law application.
However, these applications will only be approved if you can demonstrate that an exceptional circumstance exists justifying the display.
If you commit an offence
It is an offence to:
- display an election sign in a manner which does not comply with the Local Law
- wave an election sign at vehicles or to distract motorists
- threaten, insult, mislead or abuse an authorised person
- fail to give your name and address to an authorised person when properly requested
- fail to comply with the conditions of an exceptional circumstances’ approval (if you have one).
If you commit an offence, Council may:
- verbally warn you
- seize and impound your signs
- issue you with a fine
- prosecute you in the Magistrates Court.
If your signs are impounded you will have 15 business days to pay the prescribed fee to get your signs back, otherwise those signs may be disposed of by Council.
Who will be prosecuted or fined for an offence?
Council may prosecute and/or fine the following persons for the offence of failing to display a sign in accordance with the rules:
- a person supervising the sign
- the owner or occupier of the property on which the sign is being displayed
- the person being promoted on the sign.
For other offences (for example waving election signs at vehicles) council may prosecute and/or fine the person committing the offence.