Hot races in some Western North Carolina counties are creating a profitable election year for billboard account executive Jeff Bryson, according to a report by CarolinaPublicPress.org.
Bryson, an employee of Allison Outdoor Advertising in Sylva, said every billboard in Swain and Jackson counties is booked through the May 6 primary. He credits candidates running for county offices in contested races.
Chris Cooper, head of the political science and public affairs department at Western Carolina University, believes billboards are a good way to get out the candidates’ names, especially in races with more than one candidate.
“They tend to work pretty well to give name recognition,” Cooper said. “They let the people know you are running for sheriff.”
Bryson noted that during non-presidential election years, local politicians will use billboards to campaign.
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