Manuel Lubinus didn’t remove his political yard signs from his Frisco home for nearly two weeks after the Nov. 6 election.

He was disappointed in the election’s outcome and frustrated that his signs for Beto O’Rourke and other candidates had been stolen twice from his property. Keeping his signs out longer was a way of fighting back and showing support despite the results, he said.

But he wasn’t alone. Many of his neighbors also kept their yard signs up longer than in past elections.

“Many of my neighbors also had their signs stolen,” Lubinus said. “It motivated us to be more aggressive in resisting.”

A political yard sign for John Creuzot sits in front of a Dallas home on Wednesday, November 21, 2018. (Elvia Limón / Staff Writer)

Several of our staff members noticed that some Dallas-Fort Worth residents, like Lubinus, continued to keep their political yard signs on their property weeks after the election, so they asked Curious Texas: Why are people keeping their political yard signs?

Curious Texas is a special project from The Dallas Morning News. You ask questions, our journalists find answers.

This question is part of Curious Texas, an ongoing project from The Dallas Morning News, which invites you to join our reporting process. The idea is simple: You have questions, and our journalists are trained to track answers.

You can also send us your Curious Texas questions by texting “DMN” to 214-817-3868. Follow the prompts and introduce yourself to us, share your story or questions, and we’ll text you with information as we report the story.

We turned to Facebook and Twitter to ask Texans why they’ve decided to keep their signs, and we received several responses.

The amount of time Texans can keep their political signs on their yard depends on where they live. Some homeowners associations and cities, such as Frisco, require residents to pull their signs within 10 days of the election. Other cities, like Dallas, have no restrictions.

Research studies have previously stated that political yard signs are as effective as direct mail, according to The Washington Post. Basically, these yard signs could sway voters, but not enough to alter the outcome of an election that would have been decided by a few votes.

Frances Reed of Paris in northeast Texas said she placed her O’Rourke yard sign outside in April, but has since removed it because it got “wet and cruddy looking” with the North Texas rain earlier this year.

Despite its condition, she said she’s keeping the sign in her garage — something she hasn’t done for any other candidate.

“It’s a nice thing to look at in the garage and remember how close we came,” she said.

Reed said she also decided to keep her sign because she felt more connected to this midterm race than some of the previous ones she’s voted in.

“We actually had a chance to talk to him about who we were and our concerns,” she said about O’Rourke. “We felt a connection to him that we hadn’t really felt in other opportunities.”

Like Lubinus, Susan Sanders Wansbrough said many of her neighbors in Lake Highlands have kept their campaign yard signs on their lawns longer this time around.

Two signs — one for Joanna Cattanach and another for Beto O'Rourke — are displayed in front of a Dallas home on Nov. 21, 2018. (Elvia Limón / The Dallas Morning News)

She has taken her yard signs down from her lawn, but she said she’s keeping them as a souvenir. Wansbrough, does, however, still have several political bumper stickers on her car.

Wansbrough, 65, said she’s gotten a handful of thumbs-up from other drivers who read her stickers and hopes they inspire young adults vote in future elections.

“When they see my 15-year-old minivan and see this white-haired lady getting out of it, I hope that makes them realize they are not the only ones who want change,” she said.

Terri Mento of Plano also said she felt personally connected to this election than previous ones. Although her signs for O’Rourke and Colin Allred are no longer on her yard, she said she did keep them up for several days after the election.

“We were more behind the candidate this time vs. party,” she said. “Even though he lost, because somebody has to lose, it’s someone who I really believed in.”

Mento said she has also seen a Ted Cruz still up in a neighbor’s yard as well as some signs for the smaller races around her neighborhood.

“It was just different this time,” she said. “I just think people are more educated about politics and what they believe in. I think that’s a big difference.”

More from Curious Texas

Tell us!

What do you wonder about weather in North Texas? Help us investigate stories that matter to you. No question is too big or too small. Let's get started!