You’ve probably seen a honk ‘n wave on the morning of Election Day; a handful of people standing at a busy intersection carrying candidates’ signs in a desparate attempt to get-out-the-vote (GOTV). Professionals see them as a waste of time (as with lawn signs), which is probably fine with grassroots campaigners who like to participate in an activiity that does not involve a college kid scolding them to “stay on message.”

To encourage you to spend the morning of next Election Day participating in a honk ‘n wave, I’ve put together a few pointers based on my own participation in honk ‘n waves and as an on-track offical at sports car races.

  • Safety first, yours and the passing motorists. While you want to attract the attention of drivers, you don’t want to startle or distract them into an accident.
  • Wear contrasting colors. Don’t wear your green coat from REI if you will be standing in front of tall green hedges. Try red, yellow, and purple.
  • Motion attracts attention. Keep walking and moving your sign. Screeching and cavorting are probably best reserved for college basketball games.
  • Paint your own signs. (Remember, the pros won’t pay attention, so you can get ‘off-message.’) I like florescent paint and poster board, stapled to long (6′) sticks.
  • Smile. If you’re not having fun, find some other GOTV activity. Smile when you wave. Try to make eye contact with drivers, then send a positive message.