Tennessee Town Folds Quickly After Threatening To Ban a Woman’s Political Signs Calling for Change

Our client’s story began with a horrible tragedy that shook a small Tennessee town to its core.

Our client’s father was killed in 2025 while in custody at a Monroe County, Tennessee, jail. Reports surrounding her father’s death raised serious concerns about the local sheriff’s office. Her father’s death was ruled a homicide after an investigation revealed he was restrained for hours without food, water, or access to basic care. The incident sparked local outrage and media attention across East Tennessee, leading to multiple arrests and lawsuits over the last year.

In the wake of her unimaginable loss, our client didn’t stay silent. She spoke out. Her message expressed disapproval of Monroe County leadership and urged voters to take action in the May primary election. With the contentious Monroe County Sheriff’s primary election coming up, she placed yard signs calling on the public to “REMEMBER THE INJUSTICE” and “VOTE FOR CHANGE.” These signs were placed in public areas alongside other political signs.

Despite her political message and the various other political signs permitted in the same areas, our client was notified by officials in Tellico Plains  that her signs violated the local sign ordinance and that she faced criminal citations if she did not remove them. Meanwhile, the other political signs remained untouched, showing that it was never about the ordinance. It was the city attempting to silence our client based on the message she was conveying – a clear constitutional violation.

With the upcoming election rapidly approaching, the ACLJ had to take swift action. On Monday, we fired off a letter demanding that our client be permitted to display her political signs in the same manner as other political signs. Our letter makes clear that the government has no authority to silence speech because of its message. The Supreme Court has repeatedly emphasized that the First Amendment prohibits the government from regulating speech based on its content or viewpoint. The principle goes even further – even a neutral law becomes unconstitutional if it is enforced in a way to silence specific content or viewpoints.

Within hours of receiving our demand letter, the city quickly reversed course and backed down. City officials responded and confirmed that our client’s signs could remain in place until after the May 5 election.

This outcome reaffirms a principle that sits at the heart of our Constitution. Free speech during elections is not optional; it’s foundational. Elections are supposed to be a free-flowing marketplace of ideas, a time when citizens must be free to speak openly, challenge authority, and call attention to issues. Any attempt by the government to restrict speech that it disagrees with, especially during an election, strikes at the very core of our free society. The moment the government is able to silence views it disagrees with is the moment that true liberty ceases to exist.

That is why the ACLJ remains committed to ensuring that no federal, state, or local government can pick and choose which political voices are allowed to be heard. This time it was a small Tennessee town – next time it could be anywhere.

If you or someone you know has faced a similar situation, please contact us at ACLJ.org/HELP.