TRENTON -- With barely three months left before the presidential election, 2016 candidate lawn signs are sprouting like mushrooms throughout the Garden State.

But so, too, are fines and citations, like the one given to a West Long Branch man flying a Trump flag, which violated his town's law stipulating that displaying such political banners are limited to 30 days before the general election.

Complicating matters, statutes governing candidate lawn signs vary wildly from town to town.

State law regulates where commercial signs can go and how large or bright they can be, but leaves the issue of political lawn signs to local governments. Some towns restrict such displays to 45 days before the election. Some mandate 30 days, while others limit them to 60 days.

The good news for those who want to show off their political support - those limits are almost all assuredly unconstitutional.

Last summer, an esoteric but far-reaching U.S. Supreme Court called Reed v. Town of Gilbert clarified when municipalities may impose content-based restrictions on signage.

The short answer? Almost never.

It also found that when government does impose restrictions, they are subject to "strict scrutiny," which almost always proves fatal to local regulations abridging free speech.

But the problem is that most of New Jersey's 565 municipalities still haven't gotten the memo, and may still be writing citations based on laws that have since become illegal themselves.

In the case of the West Long Beach resident who was ticketed for flying his Trump flag, he faced fines of up to $2,000 or 90 days in jail for violations.

"It was not well-publicized," said Victor DeLuca, the mayor of Maplewood, of the ruling. "Like Justice (Clarence) Thomas, it was very quiet."

At the start of this year, DeLuca said Maplewood abandoned its consideration of a 45-day limitation on temporary signs because of the Reed decision.

"It's been very difficult for us to craft anything that would meet the constitutional standard set forth in the ruling," said DeLuca. "The Thomas ruling threw everything out."

But in the meantime, as towns struggle to craft new regulations or abandon old ones, you might find yourself the recipient of an unwelcome fine or summons for planting your "I'm with her" sign on your home turf.

But in most cases, if your fight it, you'll prevail, according to New Jersey State League of Municipalities, which represents the interests of the state's myriad villages, townships, boros and cities.

"What the mayors are saying is correct," said Ed Purcell, associate counsel at the League, "The U.S. constitution has always prohibited content-based restrictions on signage, meaning prohibiting this sign by this political party or this issue has always been illegal."

The problem, Purcell says, is that Reed went "beyond where a lot of municipal attorneys thought the prohibition was," hence the confusion.

"The kinks will probably get worked out of this with more case law in the lower courts," he said.

The New Jersey ACLU says it's already stepping in to protect New Jersey voters rights, which are not absolute, cautions Jeanne LoCicero, its deputy legal director.

"Any attempt to impose (time) durational limits, we've always successfully challenged, most recently in West Long Branch," said LoCicero.

But she cautions that just because your town's lawn sign law is unconstitutional, doesn't mean you can plant your Jill Stein 2016 placard just anywhere there's grass, even if she does represent the Green Party.

"There's a bit of a distinction for people who might rent, own condos or people in homeowners associations," she adds. "The town can't treat you differently if you rent or own, but your landlord can, depending on what's in your lease."

Homeowners associations and condos are a grayer area, she adds.

And many towns are still allowed to limit where you place your sign if it impedes a public walkway, or poses a safety hazard, adds DeLuca.

"There's no signage, political or otherwise, allowed in the area in between the sidewalk and that little grass birm" that often grows between the curb, at least in the town of Maplewood. You should check with your local town hall for restrictions on that sort of thing, he said.

But overall, the high court and the ACLU's message is clear.

"Homeowners, go ahead and put your political signs up," said LoCicero.

Claude Brodesser-Akner may be reached at cbrodesser@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ClaudeBrodesser. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.