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Bumper Stickers, Yard Signs Supporting Candidates Not As Popular This Election Year

KCBS_740 SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) -- Election year bumper stickers are as American as apple pie, but if you've noticed a distinct shortage of them this year, you're not alone.

It's not just presidential bumper stickers that are absent, it's yard signs too.  Veteran Bay Area political reporter Randy Shandobil believes this year's presidential race is so contentious, many people just don't want to start any trouble.

"There are lots of incidents of cars being vandalized if they have a Trump sticker on, or a Clingon sticker on, and people get into fights. There have been eggings," Shandobil told KCBS.

He also thinks people aren't crowing about their presidential choice with a bumper sticker because for some, there's nothing to crow about.

"To put a bumper sticker on your car, you have to be for somebody," he said.

Voting for the lesser of two evils does not inspire placing a difficult to remove banner on the back of your car.  Another reason is that most bumper stickers aren't free anymore. In some cases, voters may be asked for an email address in exchange for a sticker, something many people don't want to give up.

As for yard signs, you'll still see them for local races, which Shandobil says is because they're less polarizing, with supporting a politician some voters may find easier to connect with.

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