Campaign Guidelines | City of Eden Prairie

State Law

Election Day laws for campaigning are outlined in Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 211B.11.
Restrictions on placing signs on property owned by corporations are outlined in Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 211B.15 under Subd. 2 — Prohibited Contributions.

City of Eden Prairie Guidelines

Employees, volunteers and vendors working at City-sponsored events shall not utilize City facilities for campaign purposes.
It is permissible to distribute campaign literature to the public on sidewalks, in public parks and in public right-of-ways.

Sign Regulations

Placement/Location

With permission of the property owner, signs may be placed on private property, outside of the street right-of-way.

The right-of-way is the area located from the center of the roadway to a distance that is several feet back from the street curb (typically 10-15 feet back from the curb, but can vary significantly from street to street).

No sign may be attached to any tree, vegetation or utility pole, regardless of whether it is located on private or public property.
No sign may be located on a roof.
Signs may not be placed on publicly owned land, including all City properties, parks and facilities, and public schools and church properties.
Inflated devices, banners, pennants, whirling devices and dynamic displays are prohibited.
On Election Day, signs may not be placed within 100 feet of the building in which a polling place is located (MN §211B.11).

Size, Height, Quantity

Certain sign regulations apply year-round in Eden Prairie.

In areas zoned for residential, each property may have one or more yard signs posted year-round, provided that the total area of all yard signs on the property does not exceed 6 square feet and 3 feet in height.

Political Campaign Signs

During campaign season, City sign code regulations are superseded by state law (MN §211B.045). This law states that “All noncommercial signs of any size may be posted in any number beginning 46 days before the state primary in a state general election year until 10 days following the state general election. Municipal ordinances may regulate the size and number of noncommercial signs at other times.”

For questions about signage in other zoning districts or at different times of the year, contact the City’s Zoning Administrator at 952-949-6200.

Violations

The City responds to obvious sign violations and complaints.

The name of a person reporting a sign violation is confidential.
During election season, sign complaints/violations are investigated if a signs poses a sightline issue for the motoring public or is an extreme/flagrant violation.
Signs which are removed by City staff from within local, county or state roadway right-of-ways are stored at the Eden Prairie Police Department for three days, after which time they are disposed of.
Penalties for campaign sign violations are outlined in City Code Section 11.70, Subd. 8.F.

Contact the City Zoning Administrator at 952-949-6200 to determine if a removed sign is available for retrieval.

Sign Complaints

Content

Location

Location on Election Day