Image taken from Vermilion Township. Not an endorsement.
The Vermilion Township Board of Trustees has approved new rules governing political signs, aligning the township’s zoning code with constitutional standards and clarifying where such signs may be placed.
At a regular meeting on June 18, trustees Kenneth Baughman, Kurt Johnson, and Don Rowe voted unanimously to adopt Resolution 2025-15, amending Section 25.9 of the township’s zoning code.
The change was prompted by the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 ruling in Reed v. Town of Gilbert (576 U.S. 155), which determined that content-based restrictions on signage are unconstitutional. Updating the local code brings township legislation into compliance with that precedent and avoids provisions that could be challenged in court.
Reed v. Town of Gilbert Case
In 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down parts of a sign ordinance in Gilbert, Arizona, for violating the First Amendment. The ordinance placed different rules on signs depending on what they said — for example, church directional signs faced stricter limits than political or ideological signs.
The Court ruled that these were “content-based restrictions,” meaning the government was treating speech differently based on its message. Under the First Amendment, such restrictions must pass the highest legal test, known as strict scrutiny. That requires the law to serve a compelling government interest and be narrowly tailored to achieve that interest. Gilbert’s ordinance failed that test.
The ruling made clear that local sign regulations must be content-neutral, applying the same standards regardless of what the sign says.
Under the new rules, political signs are prohibited on public property, in public rights-of-way, and on utility poles. Most political signs will not require a zoning permit, but any sign larger than 100 square feet will be treated as commercial signage or a billboard, requiring both a permit and a safety inspection.
Signs placed in violation of the resolution will be removed by township officials and stored at the Vermilion Township Road Department Garage for 30 days. If not reclaimed, they may be destroyed.
Fiscal Officer Stephanie Johnson certified the resolution following its passage. With elections right around the corner in November, please take note if you live in Vermilion Township.
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