# Are there political yard signs in countries other than the US? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 3, 2020, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-political-yard-signs-in-countries-other-than-the-us/853085 "2020-05-03T22:34:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-political-yard-signs-in-countries-other-than-the-us/853085/1 "2020-05-03T22:34:45Z")
My son is getting a political science minor, and he asked me that question. I’ve never seen one in Germany, but haven’t driven enough in other countries to have a grounded opinion. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-political-yard-signs-in-countries-other-than-the-us/853085/2 "2020-05-03T23:13:16Z")
All over the place in Mexico- yards, fences, overpasses- everywhere. I was told that is so in most South of the Border nations, but I cant speak to that directly. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-political-yard-signs-in-countries-other-than-the-us/853085/3 "2020-05-03T23:19:28Z")
In Canada, yes. I was in the U.K. in May of 2016, a month before the EU referendum. Saw no signs or even buttons and probably would have noticed them. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-political-yard-signs-in-countries-other-than-the-us/853085/4 "2020-05-03T23:20:30Z")
In Canada, yes. I was in the U.K. in May of 2016, a month before the EU referendum. Saw no signs or even buttons and probably would have noticed them. ---
**Author:** ![Boycott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boycott/32/6741_2.png) [@Boycott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boycott)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-political-yard-signs-in-countries-other-than-the-us/853085/5 "2020-05-03T23:41:21Z")
When I lived in England I don’t recall seeing signs. People over there are very discreet, many are apolitical and those who are political don’t like to draw attention. The shy-tory became infamous in 1992 when political polls got the outcome of the election wrong (predicted a hung parliament or narrow Labour win, actual outcome was incumbent PM John Major and the tories getting the most votes in British history). ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2020, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-political-yard-signs-in-countries-other-than-the-us/853085/6 "2020-05-04T00:27:48Z")
In Canada, yes. I was in the U.K. in May of 2016, a month before the EU referendum. Saw no signs or even buttons and probably would have noticed them. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2020, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-political-yard-signs-in-countries-other-than-the-us/853085/7 "2020-05-04T02:05:50Z")
In my neighborhood they tend to be fence signs (front fences are the norm) But yes, candidates hand them out like lollies at election time. My street tends to have a couple of dozen - the area is a bit of a Greens versus Labor battleground. And people closer in to the city, in terrace houses, will often put up window posters Melbourne, Oz ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2020, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-political-yard-signs-in-countries-other-than-the-us/853085/8 "2020-05-04T02:10:38Z")
In Thailand, oh hell yes. Not just yards, but stuck to every conceivable surface. They start becoming a real road hazard for drivers, as they pile up to the extent that they obscure the driver’s vision of road conditions. ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2020, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-political-yard-signs-in-countries-other-than-the-us/853085/9 "2020-05-04T04:17:17Z")
In my area of Mexico we don’t have paper mills, and wood is expensive. The political parties will pay a homeowner for space to paint a sign. Renting a wall or side of a house in order to get the name of the party and candidates in the view. Some maybe 10 meters wide. It appears that the homeowner is supporting the candidate. But the reality is they are doing it for the rent money. The problem is it will be visible until the next election. ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2020, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-political-yard-signs-in-countries-other-than-the-us/853085/10 "2020-05-04T04:28:47Z")
In Australia no, we generally keep our political allegiance to ourselves. Seems to work pretty well for the most part. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2020, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-political-yard-signs-in-countries-other-than-the-us/853085/11 "2020-05-04T05:08:11Z")
It used to be common practice in the UK to ask supporters (whether already known members/supporters or those discovered while canvassing) to put a poster in their window, and to design at least one leaflet so that one face of it could serve as a display poster. Most of us don’t live in houses set so far back from the road that a yard sign would make sense, but in some places with big front gardens you might see a free-standing sign. Also there are planning rules restricting the size of advertising placards that can be displayed without planning permission. But for decades now there’s been a decline in doorstep canvassing and parties maintaining records on individual voting intentions. Parties put so much more effort into general media campaigning and now of course so much has shifted to social media. Plus, people are in general less keen on advertising their allegiances on the place where they live. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2020, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-political-yard-signs-in-countries-other-than-the-us/853085/12 "2020-05-04T05:21:27Z")
> [@sisu](#): > > In Australia no, we generally keep our political allegiance to ourselves. Seems to work pretty well for the most part. Two posts above, a poster in Melbourne disagrees. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2020, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-political-yard-signs-in-countries-other-than-the-us/853085/13 "2020-05-04T05:32:58Z")
> [@sisu](#): > > In Australia no, we generally keep our political allegiance to ourselves. Seems to work pretty well for the most part. They don’t? :dubious: > **[After a strange year, Australian election looms - Youth Journalism International](https://youthjournalism.org/after-a-strange-year-australian-election-looms/)** > > Melbourne, AUSTRALIA – It’s election time again here in the land they call ‘Down Under.’ With the deteriorating nature of politics in this country, Australians are well and truly ready for an election to shakeup the state of things in Canberra. Last... ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2020, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-political-yard-signs-in-countries-other-than-the-us/853085/14 "2020-05-04T06:22:28Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > They don’t? :dubious: > > [After a strange year, Australian election looms - Youth Journalism International](https://youthjournalism.org/after-a-strange-year-australian-election-looms/) The signs illustrated are not erected in anybody’s front yard - not least because nobody erects signs for three competing parties in his own front yard. These are signs erected in a public place (specifically; on the fencing around a busstop) by party workers. FWIW, my observation is that householders displaying party signs on their own property is uncommon, but it does happen. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2020, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-political-yard-signs-in-countries-other-than-the-us/853085/15 "2020-05-04T06:23:09Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > They don’t? :dubious: > > [After a strange year, Australian election looms - Youth Journalism International](https://youthjournalism.org/after-a-strange-year-australian-election-looms/) Those actually aren’t front yard signs - they’re on the public street, not anybody’s property. **sisu** may live in a safe seat 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2020, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-political-yard-signs-in-countries-other-than-the-us/853085/16 "2020-05-04T07:06:41Z")
In my area of the UK (south west) I’d say it’s common to see small signs/posters for the local candidate/party in people’s front windows/gardens around election time - although only a minority of the population will do it. ---
**Author:** ![Cugel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cugel/32/1199_2.png) [@Cugel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cugel)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2020, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-political-yard-signs-in-countries-other-than-the-us/853085/17 "2020-05-04T08:38:18Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > Those actually aren’t front yard signs - they’re on the public street, not anybody’s property. Signathon in Canberra, few on private property though. Took 'em while to go and collect them after that election, which furrowed some brows. > **[Roads crammed with political signs in lead-up to ACT election](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-28/act-election-canberra-roads-crammed-with-advertising-signs/7885852)** > > With less than three weeks until the ACT election, roads in and around Canberra have become crowded with corflutes advertising local candidates, attracting the ire of some locals. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2020, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-political-yard-signs-in-countries-other-than-the-us/853085/18 "2020-05-04T09:35:06Z")
People in Israel generally don’t have front yards, but they definitely hang political signs and banners from windows. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2020, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-political-yard-signs-in-countries-other-than-the-us/853085/19 "2020-05-04T10:12:16Z")
> [@PatrickLondon](#): > > It used to be common practice in the UK to ask supporters (whether already known members/supporters or those discovered while canvassing) to put a poster in their window, and to design at least one leaflet so that one face of it could serve as a display poster. Most of us don’t live in houses set so far back from the road that a yard sign would make sense, but in some places with big front gardens you might see a free-standing sign. Also there are planning rules restricting the size of advertising placards that can be displayed without planning permission. > > But for decades now there’s been a decline in doorstep canvassing and parties maintaining records on individual voting intentions. Parties put so much more effort into general media campaigning and now of course so much has shifted to social media. Plus, people are in general less keen on advertising their allegiances on the place where they live. I think it depends on where you live. I live in a pretty politically active place, where it’s common to see posters in windows. If you’re a paid up member of a political party, you’ll often get sent the posters in the post. Actual ‘yard signs’ on a stick, though, not so much. Though it does happen. As an aside, car bumper stickers aren’t a thing here though. I think people value their car paintwork more than their politics. ---
**Author:** ![filmstar-en](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/50afbb/32.png) [@filmstar-en](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmstar-en)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2020, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-political-yard-signs-in-countries-other-than-the-us/853085/20 "2020-05-04T15:04:38Z")
In London you see little posters in windows at election time, but not for long. The UK election process is over in a few weeks it is not the marathon that they have in the US. You do see such displays in Northern Ireland, often a big UK flag or an Irish Tricolour. Then there are the wall murals that mark out the fiercely sectarian areas. For anyone studying political science Northern Ireland is certainly worth a visit. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-political-yard-signs-in-countries-other-than-the-us/853085.md?page=2)