How many yard signs does a campaign need?
Most local campaigns order too few signs, then pay rush charges to reorder in October. Here's how to size your first order and when to order the second.
The short answer
Count the places a sign will actually stand, then add a cushion for loss. For most local races the first order lands somewhere between 100 and 500 signs, and most campaigns place a second order before Election Day. The number comes from your supporter list and your map, not from the size of the district.
Step 1: count supporter yards
The best spot for a yard sign is the lawn of someone who asked for one. A sign in a neighbor's yard is a public endorsement, and the people driving by know that house.
Start with everyone who has already said yes: donors, volunteers, people who signed your petition or came to a house party. Each one who has a yard facing a street is one sign. Ask every new supporter the same question at the door: "Can we put a sign in your yard?"
Step 2: add your corners
Next, list the high-traffic spots where you have permission to place signs: busy intersections next to supporters' homes, local businesses that agree to a window or lawn sign, and the routes voters take to early-voting sites. Count one or two signs per spot. Before you add a spot, check the rules in our guide to where campaign signs are allowed. Signs on public road right-of-way are usually removed, and you pay for them either way.
Step 3: add a cushion for loss
Signs disappear. Wind, sprinklers, mowers, souvenir hunters and the occasional opponent all take their share. Plan to replace a meaningful slice of your signs before the election, more if your race is heated or your signs sit near busy roads. A cushion of 20 to 30 percent on top of steps 1 and 2 is a sensible starting point.
Your first order = supporter yards + corner signs + 20 to 30 percent.
A worked example
A city council candidate has 60 supporters who agreed to a sign and 25 good corners with permission (about 40 signs). That's 100 signs. Add 25 percent for loss and the first order is about 125. Rounding up to the next price break is usually the better buy, since the price per sign drops as quantity goes up.
Order in waves
Don't try to buy every sign on day one. A two-wave plan works for most local races:
- Launch wave, ordered the week you announce: supporter yards and your best corners. Early signs show momentum and help recruit more sign requests.
- Closing wave, ordered four to six weeks before early voting: new supporter requests, replacements, and extra signs for early-voting sites and Election Day.
The reorder trigger is simple: when your stack of spare signs drops to about a quarter of your first order, place the next one. Waiting until you run out means paying for rush production right when everyone else is ordering too. Our campaign print timeline shows where sign orders fit with everything else.
What changes the number
- Race type. Countywide and judicial races cover more ground and rely more on corner signs; a city council or school board race leans on supporter yards.
- Your district's look. Dense neighborhoods with small front yards need fewer signs per block; rural roads need more, spread farther apart.
- Local rules. Some cities limit how many signs can go on one property or how long before an election they can go up. Check before you plan corners.
- Big signs. A few vinyl banners at major intersections or a campaign office can do the work of many yard signs.
Make every sign count
A sign people can't read from a moving car is a wasted sign. Keep your last name huge, the office clear and the background simple, and print both sides so traffic in each direction sees it. Our yard sign design guide covers the details.
Quick answers
How many yard signs per voter? There's no fixed ratio worth trusting. A sign's value comes from where it stands, so count yards and corners instead of voters.
When should I order yard signs? Order the first wave the week you announce, and the second four to six weeks before early voting starts.
What size is a standard campaign yard sign? 18" × 24" is the standard, sized for a lawn and readable from the street.