Like summer flowers, political campaign signs have blanketed Putnam County for what seems like a very long time. But unlike flowers, which I adore, I’ll be exceedingly glad to see the signs go.
I majored in political science in college. In some of my favorite courses, we studied what motivates people to vote the way they do. In some instances, voters study the candidates’ stance on issues important to them and then vote for the ones most closely aligned with their opinions. That’s what all voters are supposed to do, but—alas–that’s oftentimes not reality.
Some voters pick candidates because of the way they look or talk or dress. Some voters pick candidates because they’ve “heard of them” and that’s enough. Some make decisions based on TV or social media commercials or newspaper ads. Other voters like or dislike certain candidates because of their name or skin color or ancestral lineage. And many voters choose their candidates based solely on whether they have (R) or (D) after their name on the ballot.
Now back to the subject at hand. Signs.
Signs are expensive. I know this because, 30 years ago, I ran for a seat on the Putnam County Board of Education. I had an opponent, so I bought signs. I chose not to go with any combination of red, white and blue because I believed then and I still believe that the American flag color scheme is trite and overdone. I chose a purple background—not quite Tennessee Tech purple, but close—with white letters. Knowing that a cluttered sign is a sign people can’t read while driving or riding in a car, the sign simply contained my name and what office I was running for.
The good news? I won. And I’m still fascinated by campaign signs.
Does a candidate’s photo on a sign make voters more or less likely to vote for him or her? Are a few big signs better than a lot of little signs? Do signs in private yards or businesses have more impact than signs on public rights-of-way? Are three or four of the same signs in a certain location preferable to a single sign, or are they just a waste of money? Does a cluster of a whole bunch of different candidates’ signs make you slow down and study them or does it make you glad the light just turned green?
Who knows? Perhaps people who make a living as political scientists do, but that wouldn’t be me. All I know is that I’m ecstatic that all the campaign signs for local offices will soon be coming down.
It’s the law. Tennessee Code Annotated 2-1-116 states that “at the conclusion of an election, candidates are responsible for the removal of signs, posters, or placards advocating their candidacy from public rights-of-way…The removal shall be accomplished within a reasonable period of time, not to exceed three weeks.” And Cookeville city codes require that political signs be removed within 14 days after the completion of an election.
Thanks to the copious amounts of rain we’ve received this summer, it was easy to stick signs into the ground and easy to take them out. I removed the six signs from my yard as soon as election results were tallied on August 6. Two of the candidates I supported won their races. Four of my candidates didn’t. Though I’m proud of all their efforts, the empty spot in the corner of my yard is a pleasure to behold. I’ll leave it that way until late September, when races for state and federal offices begin to heat up.
Then I’ll proudly display four new signs: Jerri Green for Governor. Marquita Bradshaw for US. Senate. Mike Croley for U.S House, District 6. Trenton Strode for Tennessee House, District 42. And when the polls close on November 3, I’ll pull those signs out. Cross my heart.
(August 15, 2026)