The business of campaigns

ABERDEEN, Miss. (WCBI) – County wide elections are still a few months away, but campaigns are already kicking into gear.

Hundreds of candidates are running for everything from circuit clerk to coroner and there’s already one clear-cut winner.

All of those campaigns have one thing in common, the need to get the word out.

Printing companies are already cranking up the presses to feed that need.

Allmond Printing Company in Aberdeen started printing campaign materials about three weeks ago.

On average, the store said candidates running for county positions will spend anywhere from $10,000 up to $20,000 to get their names printed on items and out to the public during election time.

From this, to this.

This is how campaign signs come to life and candidates start putting their sign orders in months before voters even start thinking about hitting the polls in August.

“From starting at 100 up to 500 to 700,” said Terry Smith.

“I’m getting ready to get them out with the warmer weather. Of course, mine will be over August 6th, so I don’t have to go all the way to November, so that’s a little different. I know people that are running in November that may not put their stuff out until June or July, I’m hearing, so it just depends on where you’re at on the ballot too,” said Monroe County Coroner Alan Gurley.

People running for county offices aren’t just buying yard signs.

You name it and this shop can print it.

They bring ideas and print them to reality.

“We do push cards, door hangers, magnetic signs. We do yard signs, 4×4 signs, 4×8 signs. Hand fans, bumper stickers, notepads, pens, banners, cards.”

Gurley is serving his seventh term as Monroe County’s Coroner.

He’s seen major changes in campaign materials in the 27 years he’s been in office.

“Used to, they were little metal signs or the wood signs that some artist had to paint for you, before John and people like him, got into doing the printing and these are awesome. I’ve got signs now that were made here years and years ago that I’m still using.”

Over the past 37 years Terry Smith has probably been a part of more campaigns than anyone else in Monroe County, but he’s never run for office.

In that almost four decades at Allmond Printing Company, he has created thousands of items for hundreds of candidates.

“We’re here for everybody and we do the best that we can do and we will do whatever we can do for you and we do deliver. We do bring them to you, so you don’t just have to come to us. We will see that you get them.”

Once candidates get them, the goal is to make sure they stay put until the votes are cast.

“Of course, the big thing you have is people taking your signs or a year down the road, you might go by and somebody is having a yard sale and they’re using the back of your sign that’s got yard sale on it and you go, there’s one of my signs that I didn’t get back, so a lot of people save my signs. I’ll have people call and say, ‘hey, I still got your sign from four years ago.’ So, they last a long time.”

Allmond Printing Company has been in business since 1957.

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