The 2024 Presidential Election is only 44 days away, so it’s not surprising that political signs are sprouting up on lawns and in windows at an increasing rate. Given the limited space available on a political sign, the words it displays have to be cleverly chosen. Granted, a sign may have nothing more than the candidate’s name, but if it wants to stand out from other signs, it will deliver a short but memorable message.
In strolling and bike riding around local neighborhoods, I’ve noticed a number of political signs have a common theme, specifically, time. The Harris-Walz ticket wants us to believe they are focused on the years ahead. Accordingly, they have a yard sign that promises the two Democrats are working “for America, for the future.” Similarly, the yard sign for an Ohio House candidate announces her commitment to “delivering for the future.”
In contrast to the Democrats, Trump and company have their eyes on returning to the past. That’s why they have two signs that say, respectively, “Take America Back” and “Return to Greatness.” As if to contradict this idea, another Harris-Walz sign warns “We’re not going back.”
To be honest, I saw the “Take America Back” sign on a website and not in any nearby neighborhood. There just aren’t too many Trump supporters in Worthington — or at least none that want to be recognized as such by putting up a yard sign. So, it came as a surprise to me when I saw a Trump sign in a yard that had previously put up signs for Democratic candidates. Then, I took a closer look and saw that it said: “Trump-Putin, Make Authoritarians Great Again.” Some dark humor there. It wasn’t a new sign since 2020 was imprinted along the bottom. The owner must have thought it was still appropriate four years later. One Trump sign I saw online was definitely not a joke. It read “Trump — Bulletproof,” a clear reference to the assassination attempt on the former President at a rally in Pennsylvania. The implication was clear: Trump will make a good President because he is a tough resilient guy who won’t be deterred by threats on his life.
Some signs I saw didn’t really have a message; they just wanted people to know their candidates’ names and the offices they were seeking. Three candidates for the Ohio Supreme Court squeezed their last names on to one sign, saving money and the environment, since one sign uses fewer natural resources than three. I’ve seen this done before in local elections. Two or three candidates will share a sign and in so doing will signify they are aligned on key issues and will work cooperatively with each other. Voters can presumably make the same assumption about the three Supreme Court candidates.
Of course, not all political signs relate to candidates running for office. Some announce their support or opposition to state or local issues. “Yes on 1” declares one sign along with the desired result: “Ban Gerrymandering.” Here in Worthington, Issue 19 calls for a bond levy that would fund renovation of the city’s aging outdoor pool. Supporters have shown a sense of humor with a sign that says, “Support Issue 19, Dive into the Future.”
Whether or not you put a yard sign in front of your house, be sure to vote on November 5. Because as one sign notes “democracy depends on it.”