Pgh Lesbian Correspondents

Earlier this week, I wrote a post outlining the convoluted steps to get yard signs for races that are deemed critical to democracy. I reached out to all of the campaigns and asked them

• 1. Do you have yard signs available for the community?
• 2. What options do you have for people to request a sign? 
• 3. Is a donation required? 
• 4. Where can the typical person find this information on your campaign website? 
• 5. Will I see your campaign signs at my polling place in November? (If applicable) 

This who responded

Jessica Benham for PA State House – Jess has signs available upon request via her website under the volunteer tab. They will deliver in the district. For folks like me who are outside of the district, they will drop the sign at a local space like Black Forge Coffee. Jessica responded to me before I had even finished the first post.

Chris DeLuzio for US Congress – I was able to request a sign via their website. The campaign responded to my inquiry with a lot of useful detail. They added “We’re especially interested in getting signs into the newer portions of our district, like Edgewood, Forest Hills, Wilkinsburg and parts of Swissvale so that those folks know who they can vote for. As far as having our signs at polling locations, we do hope to have that as well, but it may be a case of volunteers pulling a sign out of their own yard to bring to the polls as we’re certainly getting a lot of requests for signs (a great problem to have!)”

No one else responded.

Well, a volunteer with the John Fetterman Facebook page reached out to me and explained that signs are available through local county committees. She said they fly out as fast as they come in. I asked her why that information isn’t available on the website. She said in her experience most people know this through word of mouth. She offered to get a sign to me, but I told her that I’m more interested in how the typical person who might not be connected to the county democratic committee could find a sign. I asked how a new voter excited by Fetterman but unfamiliar with the old party committee system would get a sign if they couldn’t pay for one on the website. She said she would ask. She suggested people contact the campaign. I told her that’s also not on the website and the problem is this is all a bit elitist – requiring people to be politically connected or have $$ to get a yard sign for someone who wants to change politics.

No response from Shapiro/Davis, but I did receive an autoresponse email that my request for the free sign on the website was received. The signs are being shipped from Rhode Island. That seems odd, not using a Pennsylvania based manufacturer.

So a week later and I still have my Summer Lee yard sign right in front of my house, I have the possibility to support a state rep and a candidate for Congress, both outside of my district. That’s it.

I’m really disappointed with Fetterman and Shapiro. But not surprised because they’ve almost never responded to any outreach on my part. And like many many Democrats, especially white cisgender men, they expect me to be a good soldier and not say anything about the Emperor and his new clothes. It is exhausting.

I can work my ass off to elect these two men and still hold them accountable for their conduct. They aren’t gods. They are human beings. I’m 52 years old and fairly well informed. I would not assume I have to beg the ACDC for a yard sign. I assume that I can go to a website and find that information. This is not supposed to be rocket science.

The Fetterman campaign relying on the ACDC is hilarious. It is exactly the sort of “usual Democrat” tactic he says he’s not using. It is so insider. But I will ask my committee folks to bring a sign. I did tell the person at the Facebook page that there are almost no signs on the Northside so the committee folks over here might not be doing their jobs. Or perhaps people don’t support Fetterman?

It is all weird. Such a simple political tradition. Such contortions.

I’m not paying $14 for a yard sign.