CLEVELAND -Whether for President Bush or Sen. John Kerry, the proliferation of political posters stuck in yards, taped to windows and plastered on buildings is a sign of the times: a neck-and-neck presidential contest in battleground Ohio.
The signs are such an indication of the passion people have and the fact that people publicly want to support their candidate
said Mary Powell, a Kerry fan whose suburban Cleveland neighborhood is lined with signs in favor of both tickets.
Recent polls show Republican Bush and Democrat Kerry virtually tied in Ohio, a swing state with 20 electoral votes that both sides have declared a must-win. No Republican has ever won the presidency without carrying Ohio.
Powell, a die-hard Democrat who's having a party Sunday to give away hard-to-get Kerry signs, said based on the signs in her Shaker Heights neighborhood, both candidates have strong support.
It's about 50-50 Bush and Kerry I hate to say she said yesterday. This is an election of great emotion. The passion over the signs is proof of that.
Bush and Kerry campaign leaders say they've never seen such adoration for political placards, and can't keep up with the demand for the red, white and blue cardboard declarations of support.
We can't keep them in. As soon as the signs come in
they go out
said Nicole Williams, spokeswoman for the Kerry campaign in Cleveland's Cuyahoga County.
The Kerry-Edwards campaign has given away well over 100
000 signs in Ohio so far this year, said Brendon Cull, spokesman for the Ohio Democratic Coordinated Campaign.
The Bush-Cheney crew has given away 200,000 signs, compared to 60,000 in 2000, said Kevin Madden, spokesman for the campaign in Ohio.
People are excited to show their support for the president
and that is being reflected in the demand for signs
he said.
State Senate Minority Leader Greg DiDonato, also the Democratic party chair in Tuscarawas County in eastern Ohio, said he's never seen so many signs get snatched up so quickly. Most were gone from the local campaign office within days of being made available last month.
We've literally had 1
500 signs go out in this county
and we didn't have to pick up the phone
he said.
The Franklin County Republican Party in Columbus has given out 1,200 Bush-Cheney signs so far, said spokesman Jarrod Weiss.
I know they are the most highly coveted thing out there
