Something seems amiss, and I'm trying to work it out.

I often choose to take the "scenic" neighborhood routes to get around my town. But on a recent trip something just didn't seem right. I realized that hardly any house or car I passed had any political signs affixed or posted advertising their affiliations. And, considering the current conditions, coupled with a landmark and highly contentious political race, this strikes me as, well odd frankly.

In interest of full disclosure, my yard doesn't have any political signs either, but this is more due to the fact my husband and I profoundly disagree this go around, so short of partitioning the front yard, we choose to call it a draw and refrain from confusing the neighbors. I wonder what their reasons are.

Is it just my town? I live in an affluent area, which it is fair to say leans more towards the conservative side of the spectrum; a holdout pocket in the liberal leaning Bay Area. In my curiosity I decided to see if there was some sort of regulation unbeknownst to me that restricts such things, but found none. And, it seems even odder still, because this is a community that is super "participatory;" lots of clubs, school boosters, sports teams, churches, etc. And, I know for a fact they are opinionated--just attend any planning commission meeting or PTA meeting and sit back and watch. I don't exclude myself from this activity; I'm right there in it with them. So why are there so few signs?

In my curiosity I learned that as an owner-occupier, not affiliated with a homeowner's association, I am the freest of the free to post a sign if I choose to. Not everyone is so lucky. If you live in public housing, your ability to display political signage may in fact be restricted. Homeowners Associations also can be a little sticky, and some municipalities have passed codes to place limitations. But in California, we have state legislation on our side:

"California. On Sept. 12, 2003, now-former California Gov. Gray Davis signed a bill, AB 1525, permitting residents of common-interest developments (neighborhoods, planned communities, apartments, et al.) to display signs and flags. The bill prohibits associations from forbidding such displays and their placement unless they are found to be hazardous to community health and safety, or in violation of local, state, or federal codes. An association may stipulate the size or material with which a display is made, but such regulations must be consistent with local ordinances."

The courts have repeatedly taken up this issue, including the Supreme Court, and usually come down in opposition to any attempts to limit this type of free speech. The First Amendment Center cites the Supreme Courts unanimous ruling in  City of Ladue v. Gilleo which established a potent precedent to protect political yard signage. Interestingly in the court's reasoning, they make the argument that displaying signage is a significant way in which a citizen can participate in the political process that otherwise would not have the means to do so:

“Displaying a sign from one’s own residence often carries a message quite distinct from placing the sign someplace else, or conveying the same text or picture by other means. … Residential signs are an unusually cheap and convenient form of communication. Especially for persons of modest means or limited mobility, a yard or window sign may have no practical substitute. … Even for the affluent, the added costs in money or time of taking out a newspaper advertisement, handing out leaflets on the street, or standing in front of one’s house with a handheld sign may make the difference between participating and not participating in some public debate.”

So what gives? I'm interested to hear what others observe in their communities.