It checks the property first
Before a volunteer places a sign, TownStakes looks up the parcel. If it's city or county land, a park, a school or the road right-of-way, you get a warning on the spot, not a call from the clerk.
Yard signs, mapped
Know where every sign is, and where the next stake goes
TownStakes puts every campaign yard sign on one shared map. It checks the property before you push a stake in, shows how many cars pass each sign, and turns pickup day into a route.
Start free with 20 signs. Upgrade when you're ready for the whole campaign. Works on iPad, phone and computer, for any candidate and any party.
What makes it different
Three things a spreadsheet can't do
It counts the cars
Real Michigan DOT daily traffic counts sit right on the map. Every sign gets a High, Medium or Low rating, and TownStakes points out busy stretches where you don't have a sign yet.
It knows who lives there
Import your clerk's Qualified Voter File, or let us help you request it and load it. Then tap any house to see who lives there, who votes regularly, and the ward and precinct. The list stays private to your campaign.
See it in the app
Real screens, not drawings
Every picture below is TownStakes running a test campaign in St. Clair, Michigan. We changed the hosts' names and house numbers to protect their privacy, and the chat messages are examples.
Property check
"Can a sign go here?"
Line the map up on a spot and tap Check spot. TownStakes looks up the St. Clair County parcel and tells you who owns it. Here it's the City of St. Clair, so it warns you before anyone digs a hole.
Public lots are shaded red on the property-line layer, so you can spot them from across the street.
Traffic
Put signs where the cars are
TownStakes uses state traffic counts to rate every sign. In this campaign, 4 signs face high-traffic roads and 23 sit on side streets.
It then lists the busiest stretches with no sign of yours within 800 feet, like N Riverside Ave at about 9,400 cars a day. Tap Details and go get a yard there.
Satellite and property lines
Signs named the way your team talks
Each sign carries the host's name, so the map reads like your volunteers talk: "the one at Lou's Hardware." Turn on the satellite photo and property lines to see exactly whose lawn is whose.
Pickup
35 signs out, 6 days left
After the election, the Pickup tab counts down to your removal deadline and puts every sign still standing in driving order.
Google Maps takes up to 9 stops per trip, so TownStakes splits the route into ready-made parts. Tap Collected at each stop and the count goes down.
Team chat and alerts
"Which sign?" answered before anyone asks
Tap Message team on any sign and the sign rides along with your message. Here Kyle checks before moving the sign at Lou's Hardware, and Tina reports one that blew over.
Managers get an alert when a volunteer finishes a job or reports a sign damaged or missing. Volunteers get one when a sign is assigned to them. The chat stays private to your campaign.
What it does
Everything for signs, from first stake to pickup day
- Drop a sign in secondsUse your phone's GPS or tap the map. Add a photo, notes and the host's name.
- Property lines and satellite viewSee parcel lines over a satellite photo so you know whose lawn you're on.
- Track opponent signsLog them as diamonds in each opponent's color. Filter to one opponent at a time.
- Busy roads, you vs. themA table of the busiest roads showing your sign count next to each opponent's.
- Import your spreadsheetBring in an Excel, Google Sheets or CSV list. TownStakes matches the addresses to the map.
- Pickup made simpleA countdown to the removal deadline, a mapped pickup route, and Google Maps directions.
- Your whole team, one mapShared accounts with owner, manager, volunteer and view-only roles. Changes show up live.
- Assign signs to volunteersHand out spots to place or signs to pick up, with due dates. Each volunteer gets "Your list" and a route.
- Alerts and team chatKnow when a sign is assigned, damaged, missing or done. Message the team with the sign attached.
- Works with no signalKeep placing signs on a back road. TownStakes saves them and syncs when you're back online.
How it works
Up and running in an afternoon
Set up your campaign
Sign in with a code sent to your email. Name your campaign, add your opponents and pick their colors.
Bring in your team and lists
Text or email volunteers an invite link and pick their role. Import your sign request spreadsheet and your clerk's voter file. We can help you request and load the voter file if you'd like.
Place, check and pick up
Assign spots to volunteers and they work from their own list. You watch the map fill in, fill the busy gaps, and hand out pickup routes after the election.
Questions
Common questions
What do I get for free?
You can place up to 20 signs, add photos and notes, check whether a spot is public land, and use the map offline. Traffic data, volunteer assignments, team chat and pickup routes are on the paid plans. See pricing.
Is it a subscription?
No. You pay once per election, and your plan lasts through sign pickup.
Do I need to install an app?
No. TownStakes runs in the web browser on iPad, phone or computer. On an iPad or phone you can add it to your home screen so it opens like an app.
Which areas does the property check cover?
Today it uses St. Clair County, Michigan parcel data. More counties are on the way. Traffic counts cover roads across Michigan that the state DOT measures.
What happens when there's no cell signal?
Keep working. Signs you place are saved on the device and sync to the rest of your team as soon as you have a connection again. Wi-Fi-only iPads can't get GPS out in the field, so tap the map to place the sign instead.
Will my phone buzz when a sign is assigned to me?
Alerts show up live while TownStakes is open, with a red count on the chat bubble. On devices that allow it, they can also pop up while the app runs in the background. On iPad and iPhone that works after you add TownStakes to your home screen. Alerts don't arrive when the app is fully closed.
Who can see our voter list?
Only your campaign. Owners and managers see the full details. Volunteers see names only, so they know who to ask for at the door.
Is it only for one party?
No. TownStakes is nonpartisan and built for any candidate in any race, from school board and city council to township and county offices.
Put your signs on the map today
Start free with 20 signs. Upgrade when you're ready for the whole campaign: plans start at $39, paid once per election.