When most people think of election signage, they think of yard signs – those old standbys of the political realm. Yard signs are important, and designing and placing them can mean a great deal in your campaign’s efforts to raise its name recognition. For more information on designing great yard signs, read How to Design Great Political Signs.
But there’s more to election signage than just yard signs…. Today we present four unique, outside the box ideas for election signage you can use in your campaign.
1. The Get Out the Vote Sign
Are there areas of your district where you know (either through polling, past electoral history, or demographics) that you have a huge lead over your opponent? If so, why not design some election signage just to get out the vote in these areas?
If you know that 6, 7, or 8 out of every 10 people who go to the polls in a certain neighborhood will vote for your candidate, why not print up signage that reminds people when Election Day is, tells them where their polling place is, and reminds them to vote for your candidate? For more information on getting out the vote, read Winning Your Election by Getting Out the Vote.
2. The Issues Sign
What are the major issues in your race? What issues are cutting issues, the issues that will turn the voters away from your opponent and towards your candidate? Why not print election signage that hits on these issues?
If your candidate is running on an anti-crime platform, why not run a series of five different yard signs, billboards, and bumper stickers listing the top five ways your candidate will cut down on crime? If your candidate is focusing on education, why not election signage with five things your candidate will do the day she is elected to the school board to immediately fix the schools?
3. The Geographically Correct Sign
Want to prove that your candidate “gets” the issues and the people in different parts of a large district? Why not create election signage that is location-specific? For example, if your campaign’s message revolves around lower taxes, why not print up some election signage and billboards that point out how much people in different towns would save in taxes if your candidate was elected?
4. The Negative Sign
If your campaign decides to “go negative” (read more about the negative campaigning debate here), election signage can be a great place to do it. Your campaign could print up signs comparing your position to your opponent’s, or simply calling out the other candidate for mistakes he has made or positions he holds. Be careful, though, that you’re not perceived as “mean” or piling on.
So… the next time your campaign is deciding what type of yard signs to print up, think outside the box. How else can you use election signage to effectively communicate your message and win your election?
