You'll find political signs endorsing a candidate all over the country. But did you know that California has an election code that dictates how far those signs have to be from voting centers and ballot dropboxes?
According to the California Secretary of State's Office, electioneering is prohibited "within the immediate vicinity of a person in line to cast their ballot or within 100 feet of the entrance of a polling place, curbside voting, or ballot drop box."
This includes asking a person to vote for or against any candidate or ballot measure, displaying a candidate's name, image, or logo, and blocking access to or loitering near any ballot drop boxes.
The election code further states that you cannot circulate any petitions or provide any material for or against any candidate or ballot measure. Lastly, you cannot distribute or display any clothing (hats, shirt, signs, buttons, stickers) that include a candidate's name, image, logo and/or support or oppose any candidate or ballot measure.
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NBC 7 found a house in Hillcrest with a Harris-Walz sign on display less than 50 feet from a certified ballot dropbox. The homeowner, who did not wish to be interviewed on camera, said that she has not been told anything by the County Registrar's office regarding the sign. Some people who came to drop off their ballot boxes said they weren't concerned about the sign.
"I think it's their right to have their political preference sign up and in that case you might have to make some exceptions for how that plays out," said Jules De La Cruz, who came to drop off her ballot at the Mission Hills-Hillcrest/Knox Library.
"It doesn't bother me, but I do understand why they do have it. I think there's a difference between someone just having a lawn sign saying what their particular political preference is versus some of the others things that might be more egregious like standing in peoples' faces as they're getting ready to go into the voting area," De La Cruz added.
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Violations to the election code, according to the California Secretary of State, can result in fines and/or imprisonment.
