The Complete Political Campaign Materials Checklist: Signs, Flyers, Palm Cards, Buttons
This checklist covers the materials a campaign needs beyond yard signs: palm cards, flyers, buttons, and bumper stickers, plus how they fit together and when to order each one.
WHAT MATERIALS DOES A POLITICAL CAMPAIGN ACTUALLY NEED?
Most campaigns, from city council to statewide, use some combination of six material types: yard signs, palm cards, flyers, buttons, bumper stickers, and event materials (banners, feather flags, tents) for rallies and campaign offices. Which mix you need depends on whether you're doorknocking, tabling, mailing, or standing at intersections.
• Yard signs - visibility in yards and at intersections
• Palm cards - handed to a voter at the door, held in one hand
• Flyers - left behind, mailed, or posted on a board
• Buttons - worn by volunteers and supporters, brand recognition in a crowd
• Bumper stickers - long-duration visibility on a supporter's car
• Banners, tents, feather flags - events, rallies, campaign office, election day sites
WHAT IS A PALM CARD, AND WHEN DO YOU USE ONE INSTEAD OF A FLYER?
A palm card is a small, stiff card, typically around 4 x 9 inches, sized to fit in one hand and hand off at a doorstep in a few seconds. Campaigns use them for canvassing because a canvasser can carry hundreds in a bag and a voter can glance at the candidate's name, photo, and two or three bullet points without unfolding anything.
Palm cards are usually printed on heavier card stock than a flyer, often with a UV or matte coating so they hold up to being carried door to door in a pocket or bag.
PALM CARD VS. FLYER: WHICH ONE FOR WHICH JOB?
Use a palm card for doorstep handoffs and a flyer for anything that gets posted, mailed, or read for more than a few seconds.
Factor | Palm card | Flyer
Typical size | 4 x 9 in (or similar hand-sized card) | 8.5 x 11 in (letter) or 8.5 x 14 in
Stock | Heavier card stock, often coated | Lighter paper stock, can be uncoated
Best use | Doorknocking, quick handoff | Mailers, bulletin boards, tabling, leave-behinds
Content style | Name, photo, 2-3 bullet points | Fuller platform, endorsements, event details
Volume needed | One per door canvassed | Depends on distribution method (mail vs. table)
WHAT SIZE ARE CAMPAIGN BUTTONS, AND WHICH SIZE SHOULD YOU ORDER?
Campaign buttons come in a few standard round sizes, and the right one depends on whether it's meant to be read from across a room or up close.
• 1 in - cheapest per unit, good for bulk giveaways at tables and events
• 1.25 in - the most common size for general volunteer and supporter buttons
• 2.25 in - readable from farther away, common for candidate name/logo buttons
• 3 in - used for a bold statement button or a campaign's signature design
A simple rule: smaller buttons for mass giveaways where you're ordering a lot of them, larger buttons for the ones your core volunteers and staff wear every day.
ARE POLITICAL BUMPER STICKERS STILL WORTH ORDERING?
Yes, for the campaigns that already have a supporter base willing to display one, because a bumper sticker keeps working for as long as the sticker and the car both last, at no repeat cost to the campaign.
The trade-off is that a bumper sticker only reaches people who already agree to put your name on their car, so it reinforces support rather than persuading anyone new. Standard sizes run around 3 x 11.5 in or 4 x 15 in, printed on removable vinyl so supporters aren't stuck with residue after the race is over.
WHAT SIZE YARD SIGN DO MOST CAMPAIGNS USE?
The standard political yard sign size is 18 x 24 inches, printed on corrugated plastic (coroplast) and mounted on an H-stake. Larger 24 x 18 or double-sided versions are common at busier intersections where the sign needs to be read from a moving car in both directions.
HOW MUCH OF EACH ITEM SHOULD YOU ORDER?
Order palm cards and flyers in the largest quantities, because they're consumed one at a time at doors, tables, and mailboxes and the per-unit cost drops as volume goes up. Order yard signs based on how much visible ground you need to cover - main roads, intersections, and supporter yards - rather than a fixed number per voter. Buttons and bumper stickers can be ordered in smaller, one-time batches since a single button or sticker serves one person for the whole race.
A practical order of priority as election day approaches: yard signs and palm cards first (they take the longest to plan distribution for), then flyers for the specific events or mailings you have scheduled, then buttons and bumper stickers for volunteers, staff, and supporters.
CAMPAIGN MATERIALS CHECKLIST, BY TIMELINE
• Early (as soon as branding is final): yard signs, buttons, bumper stickers - these don't change as the race goes on, so lock them in first
• Mid-race (as canvassing ramps up): palm cards, sized and worded for door-to-door use
• Ongoing, event by event: flyers tailored to specific mailings, tabling events, or forums
• Election week: reorder any yard signs lost to weather or removal, restock palm cards for final canvass push
MATERIALS COMPARISON AT A GLANCE
Material | Typical size | Common material | Best for
Yard sign | 18 x 24 in | Corrugated plastic + H-stake | Visibility at yards, intersections
Palm card | 4 x 9 in | Heavy card stock | Doorstep handoff while canvassing
Flyer | 8.5 x 11 in | Paper stock | Mailers, tabling, leave-behinds
Button | 1-3 in round | Metal pinback | Volunteers, supporters, giveaways
Bumper sticker | 3 x 11.5 in | Removable vinyl | Long-term supporter visibility
For sizing, material, and ordering options across the full range of campaign materials, see the Political Hub.