After the Cook County News Herald
published the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) election year warning that political signs are prohibited within the right-of-way of Minnesota highways, I wrote this letter about my concerns about this ban. A copy has been sent to the commissioner of Mn/DOT, Governor Tim Pawlenty, and County Highway Engineer David Betts.
I live next to US Hwy. 61 in Grand Marais. Theonly location near my property suitable for a campaign sign and visible from the road is in the highway right-of-way near my mailbox. In previous years the Cook County Highway Department, acting for the DOT, has removed campaign signs placed near my mailbox, in the right-of-way but away from the roadway.
Thefact of the matter is that while campaign signs are removed, real estate “for sale” signs are not. On a recent trip I observed that from the west county line to my home, a distance of 30 miles, there were over 40 “for sale” signs posted in the rightof way of US 61.
At base, a “for sale” sign is a commercial sign and a campaign sign is a political sign. It’s my view that under the constitution a political speech trumps a commercial speech. If you have any doubts about this, consult your lawyers. I believe that you must at least permit owners and renters of abutting homesteads to place campaign signs, similar in size to the usual “for sale” sign, in the right-of-way next to their homes if the campaign signs are located where “for sale” signs would be permitted.
William Hay
Grand Marais
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