Posted 9/10/2002 06:53:00 AM by Ocean Guy
Today is Primary Day in Florida. We have a phenomenon here that goes with the polls opening that I've not seen many other places.... The living campaign sign.

During most of the day today, especially during the rush hours, Candidates, Families and Campaign workers will be holding small campaign signs, standing on street corners, waving at passing cars... all while wearing Big Idiot Grins. If nothing else, the spectacle may remind a few people that it's Election Day, but generally I don't understand it. The thing is everyone does it, nobody wants to be left out.

The busiest intersections may have two or three competing camps... Candidate for state legislature, his wife, school age children and his Mom, all in their Sunday best, standing in the heat or rain, smiling, waving, flashing a thumbs up for a tooted horn, in 'Car Door to Car Door Campaigning.' It's comical. It's kind of a miniature political convention. In fact, every once in a while a candidate with a large family invades and occupies an entire major intersection. Not all are so well supported, we'll also see a Lone Campaigner or two. Maybe the loners are the judges, the independent ones, but that's just speculation, I've never paid close attention. I'll just enjoy the little bit of people watching that the event gives us, and wonder, "Do Living Campaign Signs exist anywhere else?"