Draper agrees to repeal political-sign ordinance

Draper city officials have agreed to repeal a campaign sign ordinance that the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah claimed was unconstitutional.

The ACLU filed a lawsuit against the city Sept. 14, asking them to remove an ordinance prohibiting campaign signs on public or private property more than 30 days before elections. Margaret Plane, ACLU staff attorney, said that time limit violated citizens' right of political speech.

As part of the agreement reached Friday, the Draper city attorney will write to city attorneys in all other Salt Lake County cities asking that they also repeal sign ordinances with time restrictions.

"The First Amendment is too often ignored by legislative bodies," said attorney Brian Barnard, who assisted in the ACLU case. "I won't shy away from an opportunity to re-educate them."

Draper has not been enforcing the ordinance since the lawsuit was filed last month, but will now officially strike the item from the city code.