How to Find Yard Sign Locations for a Political Campaign

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: September 15, 2021

Yard signs can be an important part of local and legislative elections. Signs may help very quickly raise name identification, create a sense of momentum, and help create an organizational structure for a campaign. While recent studies have found that yard signs are unlikely to recruit new voters, they allow current supporters to feel connected to the campaign and outwardly show their support. For campaigns that want to place yard signs, finding volunteers in key areas to place your signs will help both with engaging current supporters, and establishing your campaign’s public position within a community.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Finding a Place in Someone Else’s Yard

1
Research local laws. Many states in the U.S. have laws and regulations regarding when political yard signs can be posted, as well as what sort of content should be included on a sign. Check your state and local regulations regarding political lawn signs before you start putting them up in order to ensure they will stay up long term.^{[1]
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- It is important to check both state and local regulations, as while some states may have more lenient regulations, local regulations may be more strict.
2
Target high-impact areas. When you are planning your yard sign campaign, start by courting voters in high-impact areas, such as along main roads or near town centers. The greater the visibility of the yard signs, the more impact they are thought to have. Look at high vehicle and foot traffic areas within the voting community and plan to court voters specifically in those areas first.
- Make a plan to face signs toward the roads or pedestrian centers. Orient the signs in yards so that they are most visible to passers-by.
- Do not place signs in any yard without permission, even in high traffic areas.
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3
Go door-to-door. The most effective way to get signs into people’s yards is to combine your door knocking campaign with your yard sign recruitment. This allows you to get your message out and then encourage those who are receptive to share with others.
- Target the busiest streets first, as this will maximize exposure. For those people who are friendly, ask them if it would be okay to put a sign in the yard.
- Try to get as many signs in an area as possible on the same day. Many campaigners believe that the sudden shift from no signs to full sign coverage may help build name recognition.
4
Organize a phone campaign. Recruit volunteers who can call voters living in your district and encourage them to take a yard sign for your campaign. This will be most effective with members of your own party, as well as with friends and acquaintances.
- It may be helpful to integrate your general phone bank campaigning and your requests to place signs.
- Ask voters who seem receptive to your candidate or group’s messages, “Would you be willing to let our team place a sign in your yard to show your support?”
5
Send out mailings. Include a volunteer yard sign card in mailings that you send out to constituents and voters. Provide them with a postage-paid return card to volunteer for a sign, or provide a link to your campaign’s website where they sign up to receive a sign.^{[2]
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- Collect all of your response cards or web replies, and set a date to go post signs. Place them all at once if possible, or create batch dates so that you have three or four times during your campaign where a number of signs all go up on the same day.
- Make your web form prominent on your website, so that those responding to the mailing see it right away and those coming to your site for other reasons may still volunteer.
6
Send an email blast. Create a sample sign to send to friends, supporters, and other activists from your community. Search the web for political signage sites to get ideas, and direct voters to your website to volunteer to host a sign.
- Try to make your yard sign emails a priority. Do not just squeeze them in between other email blasts. Instead, make them the focus of several blasts. This way the emails are more likely to get attention.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Placing a Sign in Your Yard

1
Call the campaign. If you are voter who wants to show your support by hosting a yard sign, the simplest thing to do is to simply call and ask to be added to their list. Call into the campaign’s hotline and ask, “How can I volunteer to host a yard sign for your campaign?”
- You may also want to check the campaign’s website to see if there is a form you can use to sign up automatically online.
2
Go to a local rally or event. Find a local event in support of or sponsored by the campaign, and stop by to see if they are giving out yard signs. If signs are not immediately available, ask one of the campaign organizers, “Will you put me on your list to host a yard sign for this campaign?”
- Some campaigns may have specific sign distribution events, while others may simply have signs ready at larger events. Call in advance to see if yard signs will be available for pickup at an event.
3
Volunteer to help place signs. Contact the campaign and request to volunteer to help place signs in your area. That way, you can get a sign in your yard and get active to show your support.
- Do confirm beforehand that you want to receive a sign for your yard, as well. This ensures that there are enough for everyone listed.
4
Make your own sign. Signs are more effective when they are consistent, so it is not advisable to create a totally unique sign in support of your campaign. However, if the campaign does not have any pre-printed signs available, you may want to call them and ask for a copy of the yard sign design so that you can have one of your own printed.
- Do not print signs for a campaign you support without getting the campaign's permission first.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Distributing Yard Signs

1
Set up a table. Distribute yard sign cards or extra signs at every public event hosted by your campaign, as well as at local events such as festivals or rallies. If you don’t have extra yard signs at the moment, actively encourage people to fill the cards out and give them to you or a volunteer before they leave.
- Allowing people to take yard signs at your events helps you get coverage in areas you may not be actively canvassing in, and for many voters is easier than signing up and waiting for signs to be distributed.
2
Host a community event. Engage local voters with an event such as a block party, and distribute and raise signs during this time. This not only allows for sign distribution, but also gives your campaign a chance to court voters face-to-face.
- If you host an event meant to promote yard signs, use it as a chance to show voter appreciation, as well. Voters are more likely to turn up for an actively engaging event such as a block party than an event focused completely on the signs.
3
Redistribute signs as necessary. You want your signs to be put up and stay up, but signs often manage to go missing. Have a volunteer or a team check areas where you know your campaign has heavy sign coverage, and place new signs where old ones may have gone missing.
- Always be sure to ask permission before replacing a sign on private property, as the voter may have willingly gotten rid of the sign at some point.