How important is an army of yard signs?

[TheFarseer]

There is a truckload of Jim Esch (Democrat running for congress in the Omaha district) yard signs all over the city. I have literally only seen one Lee Terry yard sign. Just for perspective, Terry has won the last 3 elections 61-36('04), 63-33('02) and 67-31('00) So what does it mean when logic tells you Terry will win in a walk-over but the other guy has yard signs all over? Any political campaign veterans have an answer for me?

[rusty_parts2001]

1. They reinforce that the candidate is acceptable

to your neighbors and help create name ID for an unknown. They are very important.

[zanne]

3. I think yard signs are very important.

People want to know who their neighbors are supporting. Sometimes, a sign in a neighbor's yard will convince somebody to vote that way. (Unless they think you're a yahoo).

[skids]

4. They are also great bait...

...for marauding freeper teenagers. Keep a camera handy, snap a license plate -- mmm fun.

[zanne]

5. I take mine in at night

If I forget to take them in at night, they'll be gone in the morning. Guaranteed.

[Monkeyman]

2. Today I put out 5000 issues signs for our democrats in IL.

Paid For by Veterans for Progress

[ddeclue]

6. Depends on sign placement...

People tend to ignore signs when they litter the roadways and are located in the right of ways.

They are much more effective in people's yards because people evaluate the message as "my neighbor Bob" is supporting candidate "X" rather than simply candidate "X" is running.

Sign waves are also much more effective than just signs stuck in the ground because it says "people like candidate X".

Anyways that's my take on it based on the campaigns I've worked on.

Doug D.
Orlando, FL

[TheFarseer]

7. some are actually in yards

probably more are in public areas like roadways. It's hard to tell how much support he really has. Esch claims it will take 90k votes to win and over that many people have pledged (or however he put it, don't remember the word he used) to vote for him. I wonder how that will work out! He's taking grass roots to the extreme though.