The names and messages will have changed since this scene in 2011, but the political signs are coming nonetheless. BDN file photo by Kevin Bennett.

If you, like me, noticed a dramatic uptick in the number of political signs along the side of the road during your morning commute, you may have wondered why.

The little plastic placards featuring the names and slogans of local and statewide candidates for office have appeared sporadically on private property for weeks, but Maine law states that they can’t put those signs on “public rights of way” until six weeks before the election. That’s today.

Only the most organized and well-funded statewide campaigns will have been out in force late last night or early this morning (I saw lots of signs for Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, for example), but give it a few days and all the local and state campaigns will have been out in force, leaving pretty much every speck of open green space along the road will looking like the photo above.

Candidates and campaigns don’t have to remove their lawn signs until one week after the election. That’s 49 days from now, in case you’re starting a countdown.