Now that the election is over, the clock is ticking for homeowners to remove campaign signs from their lawns.

It’s required by law that homeowners remove campaign signs days after the election in almost all townships across the U.S., and DeKalb and Sycamore are no exception.

Homeowners with property between municipalities follow campaign sign ordinances of DeKalb County. Campaign signs in DeKalb County must be removed within seven days after the election or deposits are not refunded, said Mary Meisch, chief deputy of DeKalb County’s Election Office.

Within city limits of DeKalb, homeowners have 10 days to remove campaign signs, said DeKalb City Clerk Donna Johnson.

Before posting a sign, those who live in DeKalb, Sycamore or have property between municipalities considered DeKalb County, were required to get permits and make a deposit of $100 for each candidate, not each sign. In order to get a deposit back, homeowners must remove all campaign signs of each candidate by the set date.

If DeKalb residents do not remove their signs within the span of time required, they are subject to a $50 fine and the expenses of law enforcement to remove the signs.

Sycamore also requires signs to be removed within 10 days, said Deputy City Clerk Bobbie Lundberg.

Those Sycamore residents who do not remove the signs do not get their deposits back. After 10 days, police or code enforcement will remove the signs.

In past elections, Sycamore has not encountered problems with sign removal by the 10-day deadline.

“So far we’ve not kept any deposits,” Lundberg said.

More problems are encountered with people not getting permits for their signs in Sycamore, she said.