Tailgate partisanship: Political and social expression through bumper stickers

One of the more common forms of political participation is the display of decals on automobiles as a means of political expression. Individuals use bumper stickers for purposes such as showing allegiance to an organization, spreading the message of an interest group, and communicating candidate preferences in a campaign. Through a survey of automobiles conducted before the 1992 election, this article provides an examination and empirical classification of bumper sticker messages. Stickers are categorized according to their expressive content, and three questions are addressed: (1) what is the frequency of expression through bumper stickers? (2) how much of this expression is political? and (3) what patterns can be identified in the use of bumper stickers for expressive purposes? The results suggest that car owners apply decals to their vehicles as a form of identification and solidarity with a group sharing common beliefs.