Political yard signs still play a role in a digital campaign era

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – Political yard signs remain part of local and statewide elections even as campaigns increasingly use social media to spread their messages quickly and cheaply.

Along Glass Road NE in Cedar Rapids, many of the signs have been put up by Joe Aossey and his wife.

“We’ve been putting up signs for 40 years,” Aossey said.

A changing landscape

Aossey said he has noticed changes over the years in how many people put signs in their yards.

“There’s a lot less this election than there was ten years ago,” Aossey said.

He said the signs let neighbors know who they are supporting.

“Those signs promote the idea of voting,” Aossey said.

Analyst says message hasn’t changed

KCRG-TV9 political analyst Megan Goldberg said the message behind the signs has not changed, even as digital campaigning evolves. She said the signs are simple and colorful, and the most important part is that they share a name that sticks with voters.

“It gets stored in your brain, and then you have the ballot in front of you at the polling place, and you’re like, ahh yes this is a name I’ve seen before,” Goldberg said.

Goldberg said it is difficult to say whether campaigns are buying fewer signs or whether people are putting up fewer of them. She said signs along roadways let candidates reach people who may not be inclined to follow political messages online.

“They are playing the same role as always, but that role is even more important in a time when it is both easier than ever to reach more people and harder than ever to reach certain groups of people,” Goldberg said.

Cost of yard signs

The typical cost for smaller yard signs runs between three and five dollars, with the price falling depending on how many signs a candidate buys. For smaller local elections, that can be a major part of the campaign budget.

Aossey said the signs’ goal remains the same.

“The object is to get them thinking about the government, what it’s doing, and who is running it,” Aossey said.