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ALBANY, GA -- After the hoopla of campaigning is over, there are still some things to take care of--all those signs. By the end of the political season, some folks are ready to see them go.

“Code Enforcement does request that campaign staffs go out and pick up any signs,” says Code Enforcement Director Mike Tilson.

However, there's nothing in our sign ordinance that says political signs have to be taken down as long as they meet other requirements in the sign ordinance. Sign manufacturers actually went to the courts and said any legislation would infringe on their first amendment rights to free speech.

“So we made an effort in the new sign ordinance to remove anything that would show any attempt to regulate content. Theoretically you could have a political sign in your yard year round as long as you meet the sign requirements,” says City Attorney Nathan Davis.

And if campaign staffers don't come by and pick up the signs in a timely manner after an election is over, then your tax dollars go to fund someone who will.

“The only department that's charged with picking up signs off the rights-of-way in the city is Code Enforcement. But we do spend quite a bit of time during the week picking up signs,” says Tilson.

A sign ordinance committee removed language specific to political signs when it was revised in 2008.