Election Yard Signs are Stupid

As the grass dies and the leaves change, election yard signs spring up out of the ground.  Their crop value is quite limited however.

On my drive to work, there is one - and only one - yard sign for some faceless candidate who has the same last name as a coworker.  I feel compelled to steal this sign and put it in his cubicle.  This behavior, theft of yard signs, has been interpreted as quashing free speech and has been punished with legal ramifications, so I've resisted, despite the brief humor it would provide.  Humor in politics, or at work, is more important than legislation at this point.

As I've contemplated this yard sign, I'm struck by how stupid yard signs really are.  Has anyone ever driven down the road as a die hard Hillary Clinton supporter and seen a Donald Trump yard sign and said, "Gosh, that is a lovely Tudor, therefore I'm going to vote for Trump!"
Nope.
Not gonna happen.
Maybe signs help name recognition?  I don't buy that either.  If Helen Keller were still alive, even she would be sick of Clinton v. Trump by this point.

It appears there have been studies that attempted to measure the value of yard signs.  The result is, at best, not statistically significant and I'm not sure I even believe the trivial differences observed.

Yard signs are the equivalent of the CoExist bumper sticker on the Subaru Outback or the Buckmark on the Chevy Silverado.  They are merely decorative ornamentation that further defines an already defined individual.  While I may, or may not, have strong feelings on any given subject, I am frightened by anyone who can communicate their most deeply held beliefs in the space of a yard sign or bumper sticker.

Shortly after the yard sign by the candidate with the same last name as my coworker is another series of signs for two opposing candidates for some other office.  This is in a demilitarized zone between two interstates and immediately on either side of the sign for Candidate A, someone put signs for Candidate B.  I guess this is less illegal than removing Candidate A's sign?  I'm quite sure that whoever did this was probably quite smug about his or her attempt at political cleverness...

Election yard signs are stupid.

Thankfully, in a few days our "long national nightmare" will be over - or it will have just begun.
Winter winds will sweep away dead leaves and a few dead candidate yard signs.  Candidates should be personally responsible for every yard sign, to ensure it is disposed of promptly and appropriately.  This would give both the winners and losers something useful to do after the election.