How Many Lawn Signs Do I Need For My Campaign?

Lawn signs have become a given for elections in the last three decades but knowing how many to order can stump even experienced campaigners. A basic rule of thumb for estimating the total number of campaign signs needed is to calculate one sign for every 30 registered voters in your district. However, several factors can alter that base number. Some things to consider is the size of the election (off-year versus a larger presidential or gubernatorial election), expected voter turnout versus the number of registered voters and your vote percentage goal.

First, gather some information. Check your district’s numbers for registered voters and take a look at the last few elections for voter turnout percentage. Add up the numbers for registered voters and voter turnout, then divide by the number of elections you gathered numbers from to achieve your averages. From there, you should have three numbers in mind:

*Number of registered voters
*Percentage of voter turnout
*Your vote goal percentage

When you have these numbers in mind, you can calculate your needed number of campaign signs. To calculate this number, multiply the number of voters by the expected turnout, then multiply that total by the vote goal percentage. Since political lawn signs have been shown to increase political candidate name recognition by six to ten voters per yard sign, your final calculation should be divided by six to 10. Divide by six when you are confident you have enough places to display your lawn signs and your district is in a compact area. Ten is more realistic for those within a rural district with less places to post signs directed at local traffic.

Example:

2,000 registered voters
40% expected turnout
52% vote goal

5,000 x .40= 2,000
2,000 x .52= 1,040
1,040/6= 173

This is your base number of needed signs. Before settling on a total number to order, however, also consider how you will realistically get your signs into the hands of your supporters, and the price breaks associated with the number of signs you’ll be ordering. Consider your above total your base number of signs.

The final thing to consider before purchasing your signs is location. Where are your signs going, how many locations can you count on, and are your signs going to be visible to your voters? If your district is spread out through a rural area, your signs may not make a big impact on local traffic and voters. In this case, you might consider instead to purchase large road or highway signs and place them in strategic places local traffic travels. If you live in a more compact urban area, consider the amount of voter-facing private property that has ground capable of being staked into. Once you’ve considered everything that can impact your signs’ visibility, give us, PoliticalLawnSigns.com, a call for a quote!