Is It Illegal to Post Fliers on Street Lamps and Utility Poles in WA?

There was talk of this professional wrestling show coming to Spokane recently where they hung up flier around town to advertise this show. No more than 24 hours later, a city worker took them all down saying it was illegal.

I'm sure you've seen posters and flier stuck on lamp posts and power poles around town. Is it illegal when everyone else is doing it?

The quick answer is yes, unfortunately.
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Items like utility poles, street lamps, public buildings, street signs (like the back of a stop sign), and anything else in a public setting. These are all a no-no.

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Yes, others do it, too, but they're also not supposed to.

This falls under Washington law RCW 70.54.090:

(1) It shall be unlawful to attach to utility poles any of the following: Advertising signs, posters, vending machines, or any similar object which presents a hazard to, or endangers the lives of, electrical workers. Any attachment to utility poles shall only be made with the permission of the utility involved, and shall be placed not less than twelve feet above the surface of the ground.
(2) A person violating this section is guilty of a misdemeanor.

Posting Could Get You a Fine

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Something like this seems harmless but a fine could still come your way. It's considered a misdemeanor so you could be looking at a $250 fine.

You are allowed, however, to hand out flyers to people on a public sidewalk. Like, if you stood in a busy intersection and handed out flyers to attend your event, that's fine, so long as you're not aggressive about it.