when do election signs have to be taken down

This is when election signs need to be taken down

Elections results are out, meaning the campaign signs littered across the city (the ones that haven't been destroyed, anyway) are now null-and-void. 

After a campaign sign run that involved a notable amount of vandalism nationwide, it's time to take these political proclamations down. 

According to the City of Toronto, signs for federal elections can be displayed from the moment the writ of election is issued (in this case, September 11), until 72 hours after voting ends. 

Polling stations closed yesterday night at 9:30 p.m., meaning legally, all signs should be off all private and public properties by 9:30 p.m. Thursday.

Signs still up on your lawn after that time might warrant a visit from a bylaw enforcement officer. 

If you don't want to go through the trouble of removing it on your own, you can also get your candidate or the third party that put it there to take it away. 

The same goes for any signs on public property like utility poles, bus shelters, or curbside, which need to be removed by candidates or third parties for the display. 

This year's federal election sign game was particularly vicious, what with the mock signs and anti-immigration posters, so the sooner they all come down, the better — except for the Harry Potter ones, I think those should stay. 

Lead photo by

Shoshanna Jacobs


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