A few years ago I supported a certain candidate for City Council. I displayed her yard sign in my front yard. She won the election, and she told me three of my neighbors had told her they voted for her because they saw my sign.<\/p>\n
This year I have not put out any yard signs.\u00a0 A yard sign left over from the last election is gathering dust in the garage. \u00a0I have not been approached by volunteers from any campaign asking me to put up a sign\u00a0 or offering to give me one. \u00a0I think there\u2019s a trend.<\/p>\n
I am seeing fewer yard signs this year than in previous elections.\u00a0 Even a nearby household that displayed its Trump signs prominently four years ago has no signs this year. I\u2019m wondering if voters are reluctant, this year, to put their politics on that kind of display.<\/p>\n
There are still plenty of signs for local candidates in public spaces and especially in the legally permitted perimeter outside polling locations. That\u2019s fine, but it\u2019s not the same as a sign in front of someone\u2019s home announcing that the people who live in that house endorse that candidate.<\/p>\n
Some candidates are charging money for them \u2013 something previously unheard of, at least in New Mexico.\u00a0 Yard signs have now become \u201cmerch,\u201d items for sale along with T-shirts and coffee mugs, emblazoned with the candidate\u2019s name or logo.<\/p>\n
Nella Domenici is offering yard signs in your choice of three colors for $20 apiece. You can coordinate the sign with your landscaping. Her page is even selling lapel buttons, another item that used to be a giveaway, at $10 for two.<\/p>\n
Martin Heinrich\u2019s yard sign costs $5 more than Domenici\u2019s and comes with a detailed\u00a0 product description, explaining that it is environmentally friendly, recyclable, made in the USA and union printed.<\/p>\n
Yvette Herrell has gone in a different direction.\u00a0 Instead of asking voters to vote for her, the signs she\u2019s selling (as well as hats, t-shirts and bumper stickers) say \u201cGod, Guns, Green Chile, Real New Mexico Values,\u201d and don\u2019t mention her name. That\u2019s an unusual choice for a political campaign.<\/p>\n
Gabe Vasquez\u2019 merch also includes imaginative items but they all mention \u201cGabe for Congress.\u201d\u00a0 While he and Herrell have both used their dogs in their TV commercials, Vasquez wins the dog-lovers\u2019 competition by having a dog bandanna for sale.<\/p>\n
(I\u2019m not trying to help anyone sell these things; it\u2019s too late in the campaign for that.)<\/p>\n
There\u2019s a bigger concern about why there are fewer yard signs this year. Our politics have divided us as never before.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m wondering whether some voters are worried about creating a long-term enmity against neighbors who vote the other way \u2013 or even worse, that they might invite a rock through the window. Passions about this election have become so heated that that is not unrealistic.<\/p>\n
I think something similar started happening to bumper stickers a while ago.<\/p>\n
Political bumper stickers are not common this year. It\u2019s understandable.\u00a0 One insurance company study says cars with bumper stickers are more likely to incite discourteous behavior or even road rage than cars without, depending on how the other driver feels about a bumper sticker\u2019s message, and when parked in public could also lead to that rock through the window.<\/p>\n
Election Day is almost upon us.\u00a0 I admit that when the election is over, if the candidates I prefer don\u2019t win, I will probably still be angry.\u00a0 But I will try to remember \u2013 and I hope you will, as well \u2013 to focus that anger on the politicians who deserve it, not the neighbors across the street who voted the other way.<\/p>\n
\u00a9 2024 NEW MEXICO NEWS SERVICES<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A few years ago I supported a certain candidate for City Council. I displayed her yard sign in my front yard. She won the election, and she told me three of my neighbors had told her they voted for her … Continue reading