Street corners across the Valley are starting to fill up with political campaign signs with the July 30 primary election just around the corner.
The proliferation of the signs has left many in the Valley wondering: Do they work, or are they just an eyesore blocking our streets? A recent thread on the Phoenix subreddit drew over 200 comments weighing in.
“They feel so aggressive and ominous,” one user said.
“Need to outlaw them,” chimed in another.
“I hate them,” added a third.
But while many complained, some political consultants said the thread proves why candidates use the signs: name recognition, which can play a huge role in low-information races. The body of the post specifically named Michelle Ugenti-Rita and Jerry Sheridan, who are running in down-ballot races for Maricopa County supervisor and sheriff, respectively.
Others note that when it comes to cash-strapped candidates seeking to get their names out there, signs represent the best bang for your buck.
“Whether it be the yard signs or the road signs, it is the most cost-effective form of campaigning. It’s easier to get those out, and it encourages volunteers,” said Keeley Gibbs, an Arizona political consultant from Highground Inc.
Studies have largely found signs aren't a panacea but can make a difference in close races. A 2015 study concluded their impact was "probably greater than zero but unlikely to be large enough to alter the outcome of a contest that would otherwise be decided by more than a few percentage points."
Dr. Samara Klar, a political science professor at the University of Arizona who studies political attitudes and behavior, said higher usage of political signs "can just create more engagement with the election."
"That is a good thing for democracy,” she said.
'A nuisance,' 'ugly,' and 'trash:' People don't like signs
James Shoop from Mesa is one of many voters seeing these campaign signs.
"I see the signs and I'll even look at the names but it's not anything that readily sticks in my memory," Shoop said. "It’s just white noise at this point.”
Ryan Martyna from Glendale is just one of many Valley residents who dislike these signs.
“They are a nuisance, a lot of times what ends up happening is they end up cluttering all of the corners and the election comes and goes and they're still there,” Martyna said.
Shoop is a bit more understanding.
“I get the need for them, people gotta get their name out,” he said. “It’s basically trash, I don't like any of the signs, I don't like the campaign signs, I don't like the ‘we will buy your house’ signs, I don't like any of that stuff.”
Campaign signs are still the preferred method
But despite people's distaste, a market is still out there for the signs.
“It’s almost like a bandwagon effect: If you see your neighbor have one then you're inclined to put one in your yard,” said Gibbs, the political consultant.
U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz., said the signs serve as an unofficial kickoff to election season.
“For incumbents, signs remind voters of their continued service,” Grijalva said. “When signs start to appear, it's an important reminder that an election is nearing and it's time to make a plan to vote.”
Other candidates take a more minimalistic approach to their campaign signs. Justin Laos, a first-time candidate for a city council seat in Scottsdale does just that.
“Driving around you see these really large clumps of signs, you're seeing 20, 30 of them sometimes more,” Laos said. “My approach with the campaign has been to do a good amount where I'm well covering the city but not to the point where it's becoming background noise.”
Although these signs are the cheapest way to advertise, they still cost a pretty penny, according to Laos. One hundred campaign signs, with rebar and other materials included run campaigns like his around $2,500. The price does not include labor costs associated with putting up signs around the city.
A political sign is blocking visibility at an intersection. Can I remove it?
It's possible to get political signs removed in some Valley cities, but you can't do it yourself.
A state law passed in 2011 bans signs from being "placed in a location that is hazardous to public safety, obstructs clear vision in the area or interferes with the requirements of the Americans with disabilities act."
But that doesn't mean you can remove the sign. State law leaves enforcement to local government entities.
Across the Valley, municipalities have their own ordinances when it comes to the signs. In Phoenix, signs that are found to be in violation of ordinances are removed by sign inspectors after giving campaigns 24 hours to fix them.
In Glendale, signs that are deemed to be in violation but do not constitute an emergency only warrant a contact from the city to campaigns to correct the issue.
To report a sign you believe is illegally placed, contact your local code enforcement department. In Phoenix, that's the Signs Services Section, which can be reached at (602) 495-0301 or (602) 256-4242.
When do signs have to come down after an election?
Current state law says unsuccessful primary candidates have 15 days after an election to take down their signs. For this year's primary election, the deadline for unsuccessful primary candidates would be August 14.
But even that deadline is murky, as some who lost in the primary still run in the general election as write-in candidates, which makes the determination of when to take their signs down hard to pin down.
The law also lays out penalties for anyone removing signs during the campaign season. There are no fines or penalties for candidates who do not remove signs within 15 days, according to Nancy Davidson, general counsel for the League of Arizona Cities and Towns.
Municipalities would usually turn to their city code to remove signs that were no longer protected by state law. But a Supreme Court case out of Gilbert complicated that.
Reed v. Town of Gilbert, a 2015 Supreme Court case involving a community church, prohibited municipalities from removing signs based on their content. That decision, combined with the existing state law, creates a legal gray area that means some local governments aren't comfortable enforcing their own codes.
“That Reed decision was a pretty big change to previous court precedents,” Davidson said.
Davidson shared people’s concerns with an overpopulation of signs on Valley streets and also was worried about the length of time these are allowed to remain as well.
“Right now we are the Wild West," Davidson said. "There has to be some sort of middle ground."
Arizona Republic reporter Sasha Hupka contributed to this article.
Reach the reporter at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Do campaign signs work? Arizonans hate them
