The 2026 election cycle is already shaping up to be one of the most competitive and capital-intensive in modern history. With projected totals exceeding $10 billion, campaigns are navigating a media environment defined by saturation, fragmentation, and accelerated timelines. During OAAA’s recent 2026 Midterm Elections and Political Advertising webinar, experts brought these dynamics into focus with insights from Assembly Global’s Tyler Goldberg, Lamar Advertising Company’s Mario Martinez, and Silver Oak Political’s Steve Passwaiter. Their perspectives underscored a clear trend: in a landscape where attention is scarce and competition relentless, out of home is becoming an essential tool for political communicators.
Political Spending Is Remaking the Media Landscape
OOH political investment has expanded impressively over the past decade and reached a record high in the 2022 midterms, closely followed by the 2024 general elections. Nearly 90% of political OOH dollars across the last decade came from local and state races, including gubernatorial and state house contests and ballot initiatives. And although political activity now spans the full calendar, revenue still peaks late in the cycle, with two-thirds of OOH political spend occurring in the second half of even-year elections and nearly half arriving in Q4.
Voter exposure to political messaging has also surged. More than six in 10 adults encountered political ads during the 2024 cycle, and certain markets experienced levels above 80%. Sudden spending spikes and ongoing redistricting of US House seats further intensify demand. OOH maintains stability in this volatility, remaining unskippable, unblockable, and insulated from the clutter that overwhelms many video-heavy channels.
OOH Strengthens CTV in a Fragmented Ecosystem
Connected TV continues to grow within political media plans, yet its expansion remains uneven. Cost volatility and limited access to competitive data make it difficult for campaigns to calibrate budgets with precision. OOH helps fill those gaps by adding broad, consistent reach that does not contribute to viewer fatigue. As voters move throughout their day, OOH reinforces messaging delivered through CTV, digital, and audio environments.
Digital OOH amplifies these strengths with rapid message updates, often instantly, supporting campaigns that must pivot quickly in response to breaking developments or evolving race dynamics.
Geography, Demographics, and Reach Align OOH With 2026 Needs
The 2026 cycle includes 35 election days and more than 7,000 elections nationwide across federal, statewide, and local levels. OOH’s physical footprint aligns naturally with this scale. Billboards, digital screens, transit inventory, mobile units, and place-based formats reach specific districts, commuter routes, and neighborhoods, including communities underserved by fixed inventory.
OOH also reaches voter groups positioned to shape outcomes in 2026. Younger Americans, multicultural communities, and high-propensity households all demonstrate strong engagement with OOH across urban, suburban, and commuter settings. These segments play increasingly central roles in competitive House, Senate, gubernatorial, and legislative races and are often more difficult to reach consistently through digital channels alone.
Transparency and Clarity Invite Greater Political Investment
Political campaigns move quickly, and competitive signals frequently drive spending decisions. Timely and thorough reporting of OOH political ad spending ensures the medium remains visible, putting OOH on decision makers radar. Consistent CPM-based rate practices for candidate campaigns reinforce fairness and make the buying process more straightforward. Combined with OOH’s value, such as competitive CPMs, uncluttered environments, and constant visibility, these practices strengthen OOH’s position within media plans, navigating early primaries, fundraising spikes, and elevated turnout.
A Strong Position Heading Into 2026
With spending projected to exceed $10 billion, campaigns need channels capable of scaling reach, maintaining stability, and cutting through a saturated media landscape. OOH is built for these conditions. As digital and broadcast channels grow more crowded and voter attention becomes more challenging to secure, OOH offers clarity, flexibility, and credibility. Its presence across daily environments enables campaigns to break through competitive noise and reach voters in ways other channels increasingly cannot.
Morning Consult’s research on the political impact of OOH revealed its high value in today’s highly fragmented and over-saturated ad media environment:
- 68% of likely voters have seen OOH political ads and 50% have seen them in the last month
- 56% of likely voters who have seen OOH political ads in the past year trust them to be truthful and accurate
- 49% of likely voters who have seen OOH political ads in the past year say the ads are personally influential, including 20% who rate them very influential
Explore More
- Watch the webinar replay.
- View the Political Primer.
Published: December 16, 2025