Strawpoll: Presidential Lawn Signs

There are signs everywhere we look!

There is no doubt that the counting the lawn signs placed throughout a community does not necessarily positively correlate to the number of votes the candidate will receive in that community, scientifically or statistically speaking. But it is a fun exercise to make a few guesses about the amount of political interest and motivation that a community has around an individual candidate.

Now, New Jersey hasn't voted for a Republican President in 20 years and phone call polling just recently showed Obama in the lead according to Rasmussen but that doesn't mean that voting is not turning around. I have been the recipient of phone call polls in New Jersey and have noticed that the national polling numbers are a-changin' with regard to Obama and McCain. To be fair, Obama still leads, but according to the Associated Press, Obama only leads the national poll by 1 point. Many news groups are reporting that McCain is hitting the campaign trail hard and striking a nerve with the population on the topics of fiscally viable economic plans, increased taxation and problems with the concept of "spreading the wealth" around artificially using "socialist" techniques. So much for Obama thinking that McCain is out of touch.

Over the months I have noticed the presidential signage out on home and apartment lawns promoting one candidate over another. Not too long ago the lawn signs were quite significantly numbering in favor of Obama. But in just the last few weeks that seems to have changed. Today, on the drive to work I decided to count lawn signs. Now, in an effort of full disclosure, I didn't count my own community. The heart of Frenchtown sits in a valley and is statistically quite Republican (surprisingly... I know? I looked it up.) After I drove out of the valley next to the Delaware River, I started counting signs. What I found out really surprised me.

From highway 527 to 31 on into Hopewell where I work the score was 21 to 17... IN FAVOR OF MCCAIN! I couldn't believe it. This included a safe bit of rubber necking to catch all of the signs visually viewable from a car driving at a reasonable speed. I didn't take any special routes. I stayed on the major roads that so many people drive everyday and I pass through about four communities. Hopewell is by far visually more in favor of Obama based on this count, whereas all of the other communities along the way are visually in favor of McCain.

I have no idea what this means, but at the minimum I can say that it keeps me smiling on the way to and from work every day. In addition, it keeps me looking at the polls and reading and watching the news, which is what I believe those signs are intended to do. Good jobs, signs! You pulled it off!

As for the above picture, it was taken at a duplex in Princeton. Just out of view is a smaller handwritten sign promoting the idea of political co-existance. I think that is a great sign too!