# Why is money wasted changing welcome signs when a new governor is elected? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 12, 2017, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-money-wasted-changing-welcome-signs-when-a-new-governor-is-elected/791112 "2017-07-12T17:57:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2017, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-money-wasted-changing-welcome-signs-when-a-new-governor-is-elected/791112/21 "2017-07-13T05:17:50Z")
he has been secy for almost 20 yrs! ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2017, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-money-wasted-changing-welcome-signs-when-a-new-governor-is-elected/791112/22 "2017-07-13T12:00:24Z")
In a similar vein… The NC Commissioner of Labor puts her picture on every elevator certificate in the state. Any time you use an elevator, you get to stare at a miniature election poster for the duration. (She did stop short of putting, “Cherie Berry has made this elevator ride a safe one for you and your family!” but you certainly get that impression.) ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2017, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-money-wasted-changing-welcome-signs-when-a-new-governor-is-elected/791112/23 "2017-07-13T12:29:26Z")
> [@davida03801](#): > > it is simple why. The vanity of politicians. This. Our former sheriff, Joe Arpaio, stuck his name on every sign he could get his hands on. His replacement, Paul Penzone, hasn’t bothered replacing them yet; he probably figures everyone who cares already knows. It’s bugging me a little and I’ve been considering going out some night with a can of black spray paint to redact some of them. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2017, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-money-wasted-changing-welcome-signs-when-a-new-governor-is-elected/791112/24 "2017-07-13T12:44:46Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Well, the people from out of state can’t vote for you, and the people in state shouldn’t need a road sign to know who their governor is. Last night I asked six people to name PA’s governor. One out of six (a Highschool principal) knew. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2017, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-money-wasted-changing-welcome-signs-when-a-new-governor-is-elected/791112/25 "2017-07-13T17:59:35Z")
Living in the south and all I’ve ever seen is some variant of Welcome to [state] and maybe the motto or some reference to a major landmark or tourist attraction. My experience covers maybe a dozen states. ---
**Author:** ![Anny\_Middon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc79bd/32.png) [@Anny\_Middon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anny_Middon)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2017, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-money-wasted-changing-welcome-signs-when-a-new-governor-is-elected/791112/26 "2017-07-13T18:28:08Z")
> [@mikecurtis](#): > > In IL it’s not just on the signs at the border, its on all the signs. (and not just state signs, but mayors are on city signs as well) If every time you see a sign my name is on it, you will know I’m gov. That works in reverse too; every time you see my name you know I’m gov. My name and the title governor are the same. When you go into the voting booth to vote for gov, who are you gonna think of? Where in Illinois do you see the signs that have Rauner’s name on them? I live in Illinois and really I can’t recall seeing any, but that may be a function of where I live – the only times in recent years I remember crossing into Illinois have been heading south on I94 from Wisconsin or east on 80/90/94 from Indiana. Of course, I may not have paid any attention… I do remember that when Blago left office, they had the trucks out within minutes to take down the Rod Blagojevich, Governor signs. I’m nearly 100% sure that they did not replace those signs with Pat Quinn, Governor signs. I’m old enough to remember when the signs on entering Illinois said simply, “The People of Illinois Welcome You.” IIRC, in Travels with Charley, John Steinbeck remarked on those signs. ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2017, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-money-wasted-changing-welcome-signs-when-a-new-governor-is-elected/791112/27 "2017-07-13T18:52:17Z")
When Detroit’s Coleman Young finally left office, I read they had to remove over 1200 signs around the city that had his name on it. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2017, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-money-wasted-changing-welcome-signs-when-a-new-governor-is-elected/791112/28 "2017-07-13T18:56:41Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Last night I asked six people to name PA’s governor. One out of six (a Highschool principal) knew. I had to think for a minute to remember who our governor is here in Arizona. It’s Doug Ducey (pronounced “douchey.”) I didn’t vote for him. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2017, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-money-wasted-changing-welcome-signs-when-a-new-governor-is-elected/791112/29 "2017-07-13T19:05:38Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > Living in the south and all I’ve ever seen is some variant of Welcome to [state] and maybe the motto or some reference to a major landmark or tourist attraction. In Alabama, on every “Welcome to Sweet Home Alabama” sign, there’s a separate sign attached with the governor’s name. When Governor Bentley resigned earlier this year amid a scandal, the “Governor Robert Bentley” signs were removed _the very next morning._ And then the state [spent $16,000](http://yellowhammernews.com/politics-2/alabama-will-spend-16000-to-replace-bentleys-name-on-welcome-signs-cdr/) to make a set of “Governor Kay Ivey” signs. ---
**Author:** ![dzeiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@dzeiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzeiger)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2017, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-money-wasted-changing-welcome-signs-when-a-new-governor-is-elected/791112/30 "2017-07-13T19:11:12Z")
> [@BwanaBob](#): > > Not sure if this is the right forum but it dawned on me that a ton of money is collectively wasted in this country on sign changes whenever the politician in charge changes. Do we have any numbers on just how much money this actually costs? If we’re talking signs on the incoming interstates that’s what, 4-6 signs total? ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2017, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-money-wasted-changing-welcome-signs-when-a-new-governor-is-elected/791112/31 "2017-07-13T19:36:22Z")
> [@dzeiger](#): > > Do we have any numbers on just how much money this actually costs? If we’re talking signs on the incoming interstates that’s what, 4-6 signs total? In Alabama’s case it was [75 signs, $16,000 total](http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2017/04/alabama_spending_16000_on_sign.html). Not just interstates but also all major highways that cross the state line. I think that’s just the cost of the new signs, not including the labor for installation. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2017, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-money-wasted-changing-welcome-signs-when-a-new-governor-is-elected/791112/32 "2017-07-13T19:53:40Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > I had to think for a minute to remember who our governor is here in Arizona. It’s Doug Ducey (pronounced “douchey.”) I didn’t vote for him. I know that Tom Wolf is PA’s governor. I worked hard to help get him, the underdog, elected. He promised to not veto any attempts to legalize medical marijuana in the state. His opponent (Tom Corbett, the Republican incumbent) pledged the exact opposite. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2017, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-money-wasted-changing-welcome-signs-when-a-new-governor-is-elected/791112/33 "2017-07-14T04:39:36Z")
Ohio also puts the lieutenant governor’s name on signs, which is a little weird as it’s not a very powerful or important office in Ohio. ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2017, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-money-wasted-changing-welcome-signs-when-a-new-governor-is-elected/791112/34 "2017-07-14T07:07:05Z")
> [@Anny\_Middon](#): > > Where in Illinois do you see the signs that have Rauner’s name on them? I live in Illinois and really I can’t recall seeing any, but that may be a function of where I live – the only times in recent years I remember crossing into Illinois have been heading south on I94 from Wisconsin or east on 80/90/94 from Indiana. Of course, I may not have paid any attention… > > I do remember that when Blago left office, they had the trucks out within minutes to take down the Rod Blagojevich, Governor signs. I’m nearly 100% sure that they did not replace those signs with Pat Quinn, Governor signs. > > I’m old enough to remember when the signs on entering Illinois said simply, “The People of Illinois Welcome You.” IIRC, in Travels with Charley, John Steinbeck remarked on those signs. Tell ya the truth, I may be remembering back to Jim Thompson, that man had his name on everything. and since I live in Chicago, the mayor’s name is on just about every sign - whether it needs to be or not! mc ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2017, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-money-wasted-changing-welcome-signs-when-a-new-governor-is-elected/791112/35 "2017-07-14T07:17:15Z")
Back in high school one of my friends put his first name on a bunch of signs. It didn’t work out so well for him. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2017, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-money-wasted-changing-welcome-signs-when-a-new-governor-is-elected/791112/36 "2017-07-14T13:08:53Z")
Here’s [an incomparable collection of photos of welcome signs](http://www.teresco.org/pics/signs/welcome-to.html) (state/city/town/international) created by someone with a, um, unique hobby. South Dakota recently changed its welcome signs, a move which apparently has residents’ hearts beating faster, according to one website documenting the change: _“Deputy Secretary of Tourism Wanda Goodman says the sign replacement is exciting for all South Dakotan’s”_ Yes, thrills can be hard to come by in South Dakota, you take 'em where you can get 'em. I agree with the OP that it’s a waste of money just to change signs when some new idjit gets elected governor, but on a scale of stupidity for political purposes it’s dwarfed by many other things. ---
**Author:** ![Kzbre5m](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f08c70/32.png) [@Kzbre5m](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kzbre5m)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2017, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-money-wasted-changing-welcome-signs-when-a-new-governor-is-elected/791112/37 "2017-07-14T14:21:44Z")
> [@](#): > > Moved to IMHO. > > Colibri > General Questions Moderator This will get changed next election… ---
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2017, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-money-wasted-changing-welcome-signs-when-a-new-governor-is-elected/791112/38 "2017-07-14T16:04:21Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Even odder is the name of the Illinois Secretary of State is featured prominently at the top of Illinois driver’s licenses. > > Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk It’s done this way in Maine too. Here, it obviously isn’t for election purposes, because the Secretary of State in Maine is chosen by the legislature, not by popular vote. ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2017, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-money-wasted-changing-welcome-signs-when-a-new-governor-is-elected/791112/39 "2017-07-14T20:02:58Z")
> [@boffking](#): > > It’s done this way in Maine too. Here, it obviously isn’t for election purposes, because the Secretary of State in Maine is chosen by the legislature, not by popular vote. But when the SoS eventually wants to run for governor or senator, he’ll have a name-recognition advantage. ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2017, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-money-wasted-changing-welcome-signs-when-a-new-governor-is-elected/791112/40 "2017-07-14T21:19:58Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Here’s [an incomparable collection of photos of welcome signs](http://www.teresco.org/pics/signs/welcome-to.html) (state/city/town/international) created by someone with a, um, unique hobby. > . . . That’s quite the collection! . . .Cool?! Is he a friend of yours? and it seems to verify that IL no longer has the gov’s name on the signs, replaced with “The people of IL welcome you” a more long term approach! mc [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-money-wasted-changing-welcome-signs-when-a-new-governor-is-elected/791112.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-money-wasted-changing-welcome-signs-when-a-new-governor-is-elected/791112.md?page=3)