Yard Signs

[K5CEY]

I've never been one to put out a yard sign.

Don't think a yard sign has ever changed anyone's vote.

To me, it's like sticking your bare face out into the street and announcing to the world that you are liberal or conservative.

I think most peoples minds are already made up.

Just driving around town, every time I see a sign that disagrees with my opinions, it just causes me to clench my teeth and make hissing sounds.

If I only had faith in the voting machines. Who really knows what happens to your vote?

Tuesday, I'm taking my 88 year old mother to city hall to vote.
Yard signs have not phased her mind set one bit. She clenches her teeth and makes the same hissing sound when we see a disagreeable yard sign. (At least, we both agree). She's a funny girl and keeps us on our toes.

# # # # # # # #John

[KI4FVX]

Yard signs are just something to shoot at. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[kg6saj]

"Do They Influence Your Vote?"

Yard signs
Bumper stickers
Campaign signs on every streetcorner
Political ads on TV
Political ads on the radio
Internet forum discussions
Casual conversations with people on the street
Political discussions with co-workers
Political discussions with family members

Do they influence my vote?

NO

I'm a big boy. I know how to make up my own mind.

(but thanks for asking http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif )

[WA2ZDY]

I'm with SAJ. My mind is made up; my opinion is based on more than signs and bumper stickers. I'm not going to base something as (theoretically) important as my one and only vote (I don't live in Chicago) per year on the direction of the wind in whatever neighbourhood I happen to be travelling through.

[K9STH]

John, are you in the Frost / Sessions area?

The City of Richardson had to allow the 4 foot by 8 foot signs in the residential areas due to a potential lawsuit! Both candidates put up the 4 foot by 4 foot signs all over the place!

Now, when you hit the county line and get into the 40 percent of Richardson that is in Collin County Sam Johnson is the candidate (he has no Democrat opponent, just two very minor party candidates). However, both the Frost and Sessions campaign people don't seem to know this and they have been putting up signs all over my neighborhood! I am afraid that the people in who's yard those signs have been placed don't know that they cannot vote for either one! As such I know that I am going to have to do a lot of explaining on election day as to why they are not on the ballot!

There was a cartoon in the Collin County edition of the Dallas Morning News a couple of weeks back making fun of the large signs for both Frost and Sessions. It showed a block of houses with the large signs (you couldn't really see anything but the signs). Someone in a car had stopped a person on the street as was asking directions. The person replied something like "The Smiths? They are the 4th campaign sign on the right".

As for influencing anyone? I seriously doubt it. The main thing that seeing the signs day after day is that you are reminded to vote. The same thing goes for electioneering, at least in the General Election. Some people who are not familar with certain candidates seem to be influenced during the primaries. That is, if they really were not familar with anyone in a particular race that they can be influenced (both positive and negative) by the people that are electioneering. You might be surprised at all the complaints that I get about the people standing outside of the 100 foot marker. Most people just ignore them, but some people come in demanding that they be removed. Unfortunately, or fortunately (depends on your point of view), both state and federal law allow this so long as they stay outside of the 100 foot marker.

Glen, K9STH

[KD5KUF]

They have a law in Oklahoma to punish anyone who takes down a campaign sign while the campaign is still running. I challenged that law when signs were being put up in front of my house without my permission. Any outside of the roads right of way and on my property were torn down and trashed, while any that were in the legal right of way were moved down the road to just past my property line. The powers that be chose not to debate the issue with me. I will not lend even tacit support to any candidate whose campaigners violate my property rights or imply my support. The only signs allowed to stay were for the one where someone took the time to drive up to my house and ask. And I didn't even intend to vote for him at the time, but may have in the general election, but he lost in the primary and ran on the other ticket so my vote was a moot point. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

PS: That same campaigner, came and took the sign down the day after the election. If that man ever runs again, his sign will be welcome, and I might still vote for him, or not.

[ai4ep]

yEA --- suuure, just because " so & so " have a sign up in their yard for this candidate should make me want to vote for the same candidate.

NOT !!

It might be interesting how FAST some signs come DOWN after the election...folks dont want a losing candidate sign in their yard.

[k0ews]

Actually, I don't like knowing what my friends and neighbors think, politically. That's their business, and I respect their rights, and expect them to respect mine. Does it influence my opinion? No. However, not everyone studies the issues, and lots of folks make up their mind on election day. Here in South Dakota, the Presidential thing is about wrapped up anyway, we're a red state(Republicans have carried this state every year since 1940). However, we have probably the biggest senate race in the nation going on. (Sen. Daschle, the minority leader, is in danger of losing his seat) and just about every other yard is littered with signs one way or the other. I won't even begin to talk about TV ads; all I can say is that it's too bad I'm not in that business this year. Interesting subject.

[W5HTW]

I view yard signs like I view advertising t-shirts. I have never (even in my younger days!) worn a t-shirt that promoted a product, unless I was paid, in real money, to do so. Since that never happened, I never wore such a shirt. No "CocoCola" or "Smoke Marlboros" shirts for me. That is advertising, and I believe advertising is a paid business. In fact, it gripes me no end when radio stations offer as prizes, t-shirts promoting the station - that is free advertising and they are tricking you into advertising for them and thinking you won something!

Same with cars. Those little front license plates that say "Billy Jean's Buick" are the first thing I lose when I buy a car. Yes, they could pay me to keep it on there, but they don't offer, so off it goes.

Which brings us to political signs. Yep, I stuck a couple of bumper stickers promoting a local sheriff candidate on the rear of my truck. But I did so only because of a hot debate in the paper (I was a columnist who chose to support this particular candidate) and I pasted those stickers on there to aggravate the opposition rather than to try to convince anyone to vote for him.

But I did not put signs in my yard. Well, OK, I have to admit, my yard is far off the beaten track, and there are perhaps four cars a day pass by. I think a political candidate would take a look at my location and choose not to waste his/her money on a sign in my yard, as it would mostly be read by coyotes and jackrabbits. And none of them are voting age.

In the off chance, though, that a candidate did ask me to display such a sign on my property, I'd probably refuse. Politely, perhaps by saying "No one will see it," (Which is the truth) but I'd refuse. Or if I really liked the person, as a friend, I might accept the sign, let it fall over on the weeds, and pretend I forgot it.

Now if he paid me ... well, that's a different matter! I can be bribed to wear a t-shirt promoting him, to use bumper stickers, and, yes, even to post a political sign.

I figured it out. I'm just about three miles from the nearest political sign. I think I'm happy with that.

Ed

[WA5KRP]

Quote[/b] (k0ews @ Oct. 23 2004,09:34)]Actually, I don't like knowing what my friends and neighbors think, politically.
I'm withya. I make a point of avoiding political discussion with my neighbors. I learned a long time ago that politics can ruin a friendship. Just like there are people who are a bad drunk and do a Jekyl and Hyde transformation, there are people who seem normal and rational until the subject of politics comes up, whereupon they flip out and become raving lunatics.

I do find political yard signs interesting when some guy has a Kerry sign and his next door neighbor has a Bush sign. Makes me wonder what kind of dialogue they have.


WA5KRP
Texas

[KC7HDE]

I think that these Yard signs are junky and make a yard look unkept.
I also think that paying money for said signs is even a bigger waste. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[K7FE]

I have heard it said that "Yard signs are a way of telling where the fool's live".

[ai4ep]

T shirts with messages on the FRONT..now that IS another matter, especially when they are worn by well-endowed women.

[ai4ep]

Those who swipe signs in these last days before the election should SAVE the signs, remember what yard they came from, and put the signs back in the original yard one at a time for a week or two until they run out ( especially if their candidate LOSES !! )

nah...too time consuming

[w2wtf]

The only redemming thing about yard signs is that they make great target holders for target practice

[K5CEY]

Quote[/b] (K9STH @ Oct. 23 2004,07:43)]John, are you in the Frost / Sessions area?
Glen,
#Yes, I am in that area. I'm glad those big signs are gone. (And the little signs, too).
#I'm sure glad it's over.

Seems a real shame that my vote was against #particular persons and not especially "for" another.

Guess that's politics. Will it ever change? --- Probably not.

Thank you for your service to your community.

# # # # # #John

[N8CPA]

I guess I had a bad case of electionitis. #My neighbor put up a sign in his yard for the other guy -- which, of course, was completely to be expected from him. #Shortly after my tower went up, he put up a spite fence. #And I heard from the owners of the stable across the road, that when he first moved in, he tried to start a campaign to have the stables shut down. #He didn't like the smell, when wind came from the north. #It didn't matter that the stables were the remnant of a farm that had been there 150 years before his house was built. #

So, when the sign endorsing the "other guy" appeared, I shook my head and muttered, "Figures!"

As the Presidential campaign proceeded, I found myself muttering, "Dumba$$" every time I drove by a yard endorsing my neighbor's candidate. #I just knew what such people would think of my tower, and of the stables across the road from me. #

Also, while driving, each and every time I saw a bumpersticker endorsing that candidate, I knew I better keep a safe distance. #The brain so demented that it could consider voting for that putz, was bound to apply the same logic to driving strategy. #Such drivers don't use mirrors or turn signals. #They yack on the phone while driving. #And leave the cellphone on in movie theaters.

Anyone who could consider voting for that guy should not be allowed the possession or control of vehicles, sharp objects, heavy machinery, firearms, cellphones, or movie tickets!

So, the signs and bumperstickers didn't influence what I thought of the candidates. #But they affected what I thought of the people displaying them. #Yes, I had a case of electionitis. #But I'm alright now. # # # # #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[N0KLT]

I just wish someone would come out at take down the rest of the signs that are still up after the elections. Most of the private yard signs are down or will be as soon as the owner has to mow or rake leaves, but all the rest of the signs are still cluttering the landscape. Amazing how the zealots backing each candidate or initiative or amendment can go around posting signs on every available spot and then forget they exist as soon as the election, esp if their side lost. Oh well, maybe they will be all down and gone by the next election around here in a year or so.

Gary NØKLT

[K8YS]

Quote[/b] (N0KLT @ Nov. 06 2004,13:25)]I just wish someone would come out at take down the rest of the signs that are still up after the elections. Most of the private yard signs are down or will be as soon as the owner has to mow or rake leaves, but all the rest of the signs are still cluttering the landscape. Amazing how the zealots backing each candidate or initiative or amendment can go around posting signs on every available spot and then forget they exist as soon as the election, esp if their side lost. Oh well, maybe they will be all down and gone by the next election around here in a year or so.

Gary NØKLT
All those signs that litter the highways!

The party's pay (cash, points, or in the case of some Kerry volunteers, cocain [documented, look it up for yourself]) to have those signs placed, and then they expect the highway department to clean up after them.

My signs came down on 11/3, the plastic cover was turned inside out and then replaced over the wire frame. Next spring, they will be used to support my targets.

[ai4ep]

KERRY signs are still up around here...

the folks that voted for him lack the

skill
guts
coordination
backbone

to take them down.

All others for any candidate in this area are gone...even the BUSH / CHENEY signs !!

But I guess in a way, this reflects the style ( or lack of it ) in who voted for whom.... the folks who have some PRIDE in how their yard looks took the time & effort to remove the signs ( even when their candidate won ) within hours after the election.

simple & to the point.

ai4ep

[kn6z]

If there was a way to find out for sure, I'd bet money that the signs have an impact. Companies pay big money to have their logos stuck everywhere imaginable.

I just count up signs on the way to the polls. Much less confusing than the literature about the candidates, media analysis, political adds, etc.

[ai4ep]

By what system do you count the signs...

1) by the individual homes that have a sign of any candidate

2) by the # of signs for a specific person ( even 10 in one yard )

3) who really cares ?

[K8YS]

any betting persons out there??

How long will it be before the first "don't blame me, I voted for the poodle" starts showing up??

[ai4ep]

yep...they will start to say " do not blame me, I voted for KERRY ".....some folks just will not take any responsibility for their votes

[w6ez]

They don't affect my vote at all.
They just let me know which neighbors are not going to be allowed in my house.

[K5CEY]

Quote[/b] (w6ez @ Nov. 07 2004,00:14)]They just let me know which neighbors are not going to be allowed in my house.
My neighbors are the sweetest couple in the whole World. I've known them for over 50 years.

They are confirmed Democrats. I can't stand that!

But they are always welcome in my home, as I am in theirs.

We just don't discuss politics. They are really intelligent, talented people, and they have always been wonderful neighbors and friends.

And, yes, every election year, we cancel each others votes at the poll. We're both aware of that.

But friendship is worth a whole lot more than politics.

# # # # # # # # # # # # #John

[W0LC]

To answer your initial question. #No. #They don't influence me nor do debates.

I choose to read up on a candidates voting records on issues, they stance on issues, etc.

I think by and large you will find most conservative individuals less likely to be very vocal about who they are voting for, and usually don't advertise via yard signs either. #On the other hand, the less conservative individuals as usually more vocal, and more demonstrative in who their candidate is.

Keep in mind, this doesn't apply to everyone, just a general observation.

It's nice that one can advertise their candidate, but then again, I don't find it of much use politically unless it gives the false impression that more are for or against a particular candidate by the number of yard signs in an area, which may influence someone not to vote, to "give up", etc.

On a local level, however, I think it will make someone's name more recognizable during the voting process. At the national level, I don't feel it is that effective.

Many people choose to vote based upon what the news media says or doesn't tell you, pictures (face recognition), frequency of seeing a particulare local candidate's name on yard signs, etc.

The negative ad campaigning on TV I feel turns more people off then it informs.