Campaign tip of the day: The Great Sign Debate

You probably all have seen the famous message sent out by the Obama campaign when volunteers were clamoring for lawn signs:

There are any number of articles on the web explaining why you're wasting your money on signs. See  Political Signs Don't Work  and Why Political Yard Signs Are Useless for example.

What yard signs are good for is reinforcement. Once you've budgeted for your mail, your precinct walking handouts, your phone banking, your TV if it makes sense in your District, then go ahead and set something aside for yard signs. If people don't get your message, no amount of yard signage will persuade them to vote for you.

If you do use signs, use them carefully. Make sure your name is prominent in bold colors (preferably the colors of your campaign materials); don't clutter up the sign with lots of information or pictures.  And make sure people get your message in several different ways, mail, TV, phone calls, at the door. Don't expect your signs to be your message. They will just act as a reminder to the voter of who they want to vote for. 

Try to find supporters on well traveled roads to take the signs, don't just put them up willy nilly on freeway exits, or they may well be removed and you may well be fined. Know the rules in your community.  Some places are more relaxed about casual sign placement than others.

Right around election day, have volunteers take a few signs out to prominent street corners and wave them at passing cars as one last reminder. 

And remember, never, never, take down an opponent's signs.

If used wisely, your signs can be a good name reinforcer for your voters. If used instead of a well run campaign with a carefully crafted, and delivered, message, they aren't worth the paper (or plastic) they are printed on.

Political Yard Signs Don’t Vote

Political Yard Signs Don’t Vote

Political Yard Signs Don’t Vote