Excessive political signs can backfire
The May 18 primary election is approaching, and that means political signs are sprouting along area roads in an uncontrolled manner many would liken to weeds.
In so-called off-year elections like this one, there’s often a glut of political signs out there.
Well-traveled roads are loaded with candidates’ signs. Along some stretches there are so many that it’s hard for any of them to make much of an impression other than a general feeling that the whole scene is just ugly.
In so-called off-year elections like this one, there’s often a glut of political signs out there. Each election for school board or township supervisor involves several open positions. If a half-dozen people or more are running for four or five open school board seats, that’s going to add up to a lot of signs.
It’s understandable that people in these races tend to run low-budget campaigns. The least expensive way to get their names out there is to print up a bunch of signs and have volunteers put them in their yards and along roads.
But there are problems with this strategy. A heavy concentration of campaign signs is not only visually unattractive, it can be downright dangerous if the signs make it more difficult for motorists to see, especially at busy intersections that tend to attract a lot of signs.
Consider some of PennDOT’s rules concerning this subject. They start by asking campaigns to ensure signs do not block motorists’ sight distance. With that in mind, campaign signs are not allowed on interstates or limited access highways or the ramps leading to them. All signs are to be removed from state roads 10 days after the election.
Some of these rules are widely flouted in this area, particularly the one about keeping signs off major highways and ramps, and that’s dangerous. The issue isn’t only sight distance. These signs can be a serious distraction, especially when they’re not easy to read. All too often a motorist would need to pull over in order to absorb the candidate’s name, party and office for which they are running.
Here are a few suggestions for candidates and their volunteers in this and future campaigns.
• Follow the rules. PennDOT spells out what is and isn’t allowed when it comes to putting up signs along roadways. These rules exist for the sake of traffic safety. Campaigns should abide by them even if authorities aren’t strictly enforcing them.
• Use the yards. Single signs outside the homes of supporters can make a much bigger impression than lots of them placed along a highway, and they look better, too.
• Don’t get carried away. Signs spaced strategically along a road are fine. Flooding a small area with the same sign is as likely to alienate many voters as it is to attract them.
• Keep signs simple. Lettering should be big, bold and clear so people can get the message without having to stop or squint.
• Don’t just rely on signs. Letting people know a candidate’s name and what they’re running for only accomplishes so much. Roadside signs are poorly suited to telling voters anything about a candidate’s background, qualifications or positions on issues they would have to face while in office. It’s more difficult than usual to meet with voters during the pandemic, but it’s still possible to distribute campaign literature door to door and to share information via a website and social media. And even a small investment in traditional forms of advertising has the potential to pay big dividends.
• Clean up. Don’t allow signs to sit for days and weeks after the election. Any justification for having them out there disappears once the voting is over. And voters in the next election just might remember who the offenders are.
We must stress that we have tremendous respect for the people running for local offices. These are jobs that involve a lot of work and aggravation with little or no compensation or appreciation. It’s appropriate to pay tribute to those who not only are willing to take on these jobs but devote considerable time and resources to earn the right to do them. We and many others in our communities just ask that they think carefully about the means they use to publicize their campaigns.