POLITICS ASIDE:The science of election signage

I’m a nonscientific guy. Definitely I go for the qualitative over quantitative, a fact that ran me aground for a bit in journalism school (which I’m going to assume some readers won’t find surprising).

So, here’s a nonscientific observation: There are remarkably few campaign signs in either Costa Mesa or Newport Beach. Especially when both cities have what the people involved say are the most important elections in years.

At least, that’s my impression. Nothing scientific about it.

I first noticed this when driving East Coast Highway in Corona del Mar. There are a few Jack Wu and Nancy Gardner signs, and one or two Bob Schoonmaker ones — at least that I noticed.

But not a bunch of yes on V or yes on X, etc.

Since I noticed this about a week ago, I’ve maneuvered through Newport-Mesa and still don’t feel that my retinas can’t get rid of “Bruce Garlich for Costa Mesa” or “Reelect Allan Mansoor.”

Sure, sure, MacArthur and Irvine Avenue are littered with them. And driving up Orange Avenue through the Eastside led me to think there are some neighbors there who might not get along well — this house is Garlich and Mike Scheafer, the next is Mansoor and Wendy Leece.

But, it doesn’t look like “Sign, sign, everywhere a sign.”

A few checks with some sources in the community generally confirmed my findings, though one said some back streets in Newport are packed.

Must not be streets I drive down much.

I’ve said repeatedly that I think signs are a huge factor in winning the vote — and that little is more important than having signs in people’s yards so their neighbors will know who they are supporting. I wonder, though, if mailers are finally the dominant method of campaigning.

HAVING POLITICAL PULL

Wednesday at our offices we held our annual DP 103 luncheon. I suppose our legitimately most influential person in attendance was Rep. John Campbell, who proved his importance by having to get to a second lunch engagement.

He, and Newport Beach’s Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, were nice enough to say terrifically complimentary things about the Daily Pilot.

I was quite pleased, until I remembered we’re less than two weeks from an election. Ha! Of course they’re going to say nice things about us!

In all seriousness, it is always good to see sources, neither of whom we’ve treated with kid gloves (DeVore probably less so), still have a good relationship with the paper.

I ate lunch with DeVore in fact. Always good fun to talk politics and policy. It sounds like he has some interesting bills planned for the next legislative session.

One politician who didn’t make it was our No. 1, Costa Mesa Mayor Allan Mansoor. Maybe he didn’t think he could win any votes there, but I’d be loathe to miss the opportunity to make an impression on any of Newport-Mesa’s best and brightest.

(And, yes, yes, as one of the people involved in the luncheon’s program, I suspect I do make a bad impression. But that’s the hazards of this job.)