The South Dakota Department of Transportation reminds the public that political campaign and ballot-issue signs cannot be placed on state highway rights of way.
“This time of year, it is common to find election signs placed along the state’s roadways,” says Craig Smith, Director of Operations. “Illegal signs create a safety hazard and may distract motorists from seeing important regulatory or directional signing.”
The use of right of way is reserved for official highway signage only. All signs in the right of way that are not required for traffic control, as authorized by law, are prohibited and will be removed by SDDOT crews as they see them or when reported. If an illegally placed sign is removed by SDDOT staff, please call the local SDDOT office to claim it.
Although a state highway may run through a municipality, municipal ordinances regulating placement and removal of campaign signs do not have precedence over state jurisdiction, https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/Codified_Laws/DisplayStatute.aspx?Type=Statute&Statute=31-28-14.
Please find additional sign placement guidance on the SDDOT website, https://dot.sd.gov/media/7ca80d6f/Sign%20Placement%20Guidelines.pdf.
South Dakota’s primary election will be held June 2, 2026. Absentee voting is already underway.
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