The article to explain to anyone who is having concerns over Yard Signs

[AllentownJake]

This is two weeks old but looks like it needs to be posted again

http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/09/breaking-obama-campaign-organizers.html

In a controversial move sure to upset millions of people, Barack Obama’s campaign has decided to forgo the traditional time-wasting distribution of chum (yard signs, bumper stickers, etc.) to try and win the election.

Settling on what they call a “get voters to register by approaching them on the phone and at the door with an army of volunteers” strategy, Obama’s senior staff has directed state, regional, and local field organizers to use their finite time to make tangible progress toward winning.

It’s an approach that has ruffled some Democratic feathers.

[zanne]

1. Signs are readily available here.

You have to go to HQ to pick them up, though. Actually, the general election season is so short this time because of the long primary season, I think it would be a waste of time to have people putting up signs.

[AllentownJake]

3. Signs are only effective when no one knows who the candidate is

People who haven't heard of Barack Obama at this point...well they probably aren't voting.

[amitten]

2. Signs don't change minds. People do. Focusing on door-to-

door is much smarter.

[AllentownJake]

4. 100% agree

Neighbor to Neighbor. The only reason I have signs is so that people can find my house when I hold events there.

[nosillies]

5. I understand these points completely, but I still have concerns

I live in a state (AR) that would have once been considered hopeless. Probably still is. But as more and more traditionally red states start sliding towards purple, it's important for there to be a visible sign of this change. There are plenty of people out there who are just dim enough to think they can't vote for Obama until they see that their neighbors and co-workers are supporting him by the signs they place in their yard or the bumper stickers on their cars. These are people who want to vote their conscience, but won't, because they're followers.

It's very difficult to get signs here, but they're slowly sprouting up. And as they do, the dialogue is starting -- "Hey, if a dozen people in this neighborhood are gonna vote for him, or if a guy who looks like me is, maybe I can, too." They're striking up conversations with Obama supporters and asking good questions. I've seen it happen firsthand. They'd rather stop and initiate a chat with a neighbor gardening by her Obama sign that have to stop cooking supper to answer the door at an inconvenient time and have awkward dialogue with someone who may or may not be a Jehovah's Witness anyway.

This type of lemming voter may just very well be heavily concentrated in red states. The Obama supporters in these areas need to be able to advertise that support in every way possible.


edit: something funky happened and it cut part of my post off