Political Sign Design

A common theme that we always recommend in the design of any signage is K.I.S. or Keep It Simple.  K.I.S. is especially true for Political Campaign Signs.  Remember that campaign signs are usually placed in a yard or on a lawn of a residence or business and most of the viewing occurs from motor vehicles which are traveling at speeds of 5 – 45 MPH.  This means that the viewer has only 1 to 3 seconds - a very short time to see and read your sign.  Your goal is to grab your viewers attention and then communicate your message as quickly as possible.

 

Below are some basic recommendations for Political Sign Design Basics, Font (Type Style), Sign Color Combinations, Signage Substrates, and Sign Mounting Stakes.

 

 

Remember to keep it simple (K.I.S.) – Your target viewers basically only need remember your name and the political office which you are campaigning for.  The fewer letters a sign contains the larger (more visible) the words will be, remember there is only a limited amount of space.  Only use necessary text.

 

Obviously the most important information your sign will contain.  Last names often will suffice unless there is a reason to separate your name from someone running for the same or another office.

 

Again, Keep It Simple.  For example, -For Mayor- may work better than -For Mayor of Sumpter Charter Township-.  It is also recommended that if an incumbent is running for office that RE-ELECT, KEEP or something similar is noted on the yard sign.

 

It is your responsibility to find out the requirements for the disclaimer clause and give this information to your screen printer.  Disclaimers vary from local to local.  State and federal laws vary with regard to notices which must be printed and identification of those responsible for purchasing, publishing, or distributing political advertising.  The exact wording, location, and required size are dictated by the election board governing your campaign.

 

The more fonts used, the more difficult a campaign sign will be to read, so limit your font choices to one or two per layout.  Sans serif fonts like Arial and Helvetica are the easiest to read from a distance and in most cases should be used for the primary message.  Likewise fonts like Arial, Times New Roman, Benguiat, and Cooper are appropriate for the secondary message.

 

The following list shows the most readable and successful color combinations in order of viewing effectiveness.  Color combinations with high contrast between the background and letters are easier to read and can be seen from greater viewing distances.  Always consider type of office or issue when choosing campaign sign color combinations.

Corrugated Plastic Sign Substrate

Corrugated Plastic is an all weather material approximately 3/16 inch thick.  SignOutfitters.com corru gated plastic yard signs are waterproof and screen printed for outdoor durability.  Corrugated Plastic yard signs can be used again and again and have the longest life span of any temporary outdoor signage.  Great for candidates who run for the same office repeatedly.

 

Poly Bag Signs are made from weather proof heavy duty polyethylene with an opaque lining to eliminate see-thru.  Generally available only in bulk quantities.  This type of exterior signage has a short life span with very limited reusability.  Polyethylene bags deteriorate rapidly in the harmful UV rays of the sun.  These signs may get brittle and crack after long term exposure.  Poly bag signs tend to create litter due to the cracking of the polyethlene plastic.

 

These signs continue to be the one of the popular choices for political campaigns.  They are often called Political Posters.  The most popular size is 22 inches wide x 28 inches tall.  Typically, weather resistant posterboard signs are printed on one side with two identical images and folded in half to make a double sided sign which is 14 inches tall and 22 inches wide. These signs are made from poly-coated weather proof poster board.  These are also screen printed.  Paper Signs are folded in half, than either stapled or glued shut.  Outdoor life span is shorter than corrugated plastic yard signs with limited reusability.  Weather Resistant Poster Board Election Yard Signs from Signoutfitters.com are made from 24 point, 6 ply, poly coated (2 sides) weather resistant poster board.  This is the best in the industry for temporary outdoor / indoor signs, especially political posters.  Our signs are UV screen printed for indoor and outdoor durability.

Sample political sign slogans below are free for you to use or modify to fit your needs: