HONOLULU -- Hawaii's primary election is more than three months away but The Outdoor Circle, a leading civic group, said Tuesday it's already receiving complaints about political signs that are too big and up too soon.

Hawaii has strict laws prohibiting bill boards but it is anything goes when it comes to political signs some of which are as bigger than bill boards.

Bob Loy, Environmental Plans Director of the Outdoor Circle, said complaints are coming in now especially about the placement of signs, long before the primary and general elections.

"Putting up campaign signs months in advance is ineffective campaigning and it clutters up the city and it makes it ugly for the residents who live here and visitors who come here," said Loy.

Loy said one of the complaints Tuesday was about a big "Mufi Hannemann for Governor" banner in the garden of a private home next to Kalani High School.

Honolulu Mayor Hannemann Thursday announced his plans to run for Hawaii governor as s Democrat.

As long as political signs are on private property, they can be any size.

It is only illegal to place political signs on public property.

Loy said if residents see a political sign in a place they are certain is public property, they have every right to take down the sign.

Hawaii has no time limit on how long a political sign can remain up.

Loy said the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled time limits on political signs are unconstitutional.

Loy said people's best recourse is to complain to a candidate if they think his or her sign has been erected too early or left up too long. It is up to the candidates to be sensitive.

"Two months before an election, and then a week after-- or two weeks after-- the signs should come down," said Loy. "We think that is a reasonable thing for candidates to try to follow and we think the people will appreciate that a lot."

Deputy Honolulu Prosecutor Don Pacarro's signs are up almost a half a year before the Honolulu prosecutor's race now expected to be held at the same time as the general election in November.

Pacarro said as a new candidate he needs to become known and signs are helping to publicize his name to voters.

Pacarro said his 12 large banner signs are perfectly legal and even though they may have gone up in April others beat him to the punch getting their signs up even earlier.

Not everybody thinks the political signs are up too soon.

Hawaii Kai resident Una Tong said,"You know candidates have to start early. November comes very fast nowadays."

The Outdoor Circle has tried unsuccessfully for the last four years to urge state lawmakers to limit the size and number of political signs allowed on any single property.

But Loy said it is impossible to get politicians to regulate the very signs they think help them.

But others are still pushing for limits. Honolulu Councilman Ikaika Anderson has a bill in the council's planning committee calling for size and time limits on all Oahu political signs.