Ann Mehr lives on East Campus, a neighborhood that she’s adored for many years.
“I love the mixed-use aspect of it,” Mehr said. “I often meet students out on dog walks, and it’s lovely.”
She’s also privy to the pranks put on by students who share the same street. Smashed pumpkins litter the roads on Halloween nights. When partying gets intense, they band together to help each other clean up.
However, when thieves stole not only her “Yes on Amendment 3” signs but several signs of neighbors around the community, she knew this was something different.
“When signs are taken from yards, I feel that there’s a general disrespect,” Mehr said.
KOMU 8 has been investigating reports of political signs stolen all over Columbia. This isn’t something unique to the area, as the same offense has been happening all over Missouri and in other states.
A man in Cohasset, Massachusetts, was just convicted for painting a swastika on a Trump sign. A couple in Springfield placed a tracker on their sign after it was stolen repeatedly. In a viral video posted to social media, they were able to track them to a car filled with hundreds of stolen “Harris Walz 2024” signs.
“I think the current political climate has emboldened people to not be respectful,” Mehr said. “I think the political rhetoric and disrespect that is proudly flaunted has a trickle-down aspect to it.”
According to Section 115.637, under Title IX Suffrage and Elections in Missouri law, “stealing or willfully defacing, mutilating, or destroying any campaign yard sign on private property ...” is defined as a class four election offense. These offenses are deemed misdemeanors and conviction of these crimes can lead to up to a year in jail and fines up to $2,500.
“One of the things that makes this country great is our fair and free elections. ... That is of utmost importance in a free society,” said Bogdan Susan, a lawyer with Holder Susan Slusher LLC.
Ring camera footage obtained by a neighbor depicts a young man wearing a white hoodie and khaki pants walking through East Campus. He’s carrying a bundle of signs already before he bends down and grabs another sign. He struggles for a moment but is able to take it and keep moving.
Residents who want to pursue legal action could look past imprisonment and fines and may seek to file a trespass restraining order. However, if someone is walking along the street and isn’t on private property, does it still warrant a trespass? Susan said it depends.
“If it’s a private street owned by the individual, that’d be different. They’d still have to get on the property to take the sign, even if they just reach over, so certainly stealing,” Susan said.
Over the course of Wednesday night, vandals took over signs on Grindstone Parkway and in front of the Boone County Republicans office on North Providence Road. Signs were also spray painted with swastikas, squiggly lines, and on a Hawley sign, crude symbols resembling male genitalia.
Gerald Burns with the Boone County Republicans said he’s never seen anything like this while he’s been a full-time volunteer. He’s been involved with politics his whole life as a conservative and felt a duty to volunteer Monday through Friday after seeing the office closed during the weekdays.
“I noticed the ‘No on 3’ that was already taken down, so I walked around the sidewalk, and I saw the ones in front of our office that were vandalized also,” Burns said.
When Burns drove past the signs Thursday morning, he, along with Cheri Toalson Reisch, who is running for the Boone County Commission, reported it to the Columbia Police Department. It’s presumed that the damage happened overnight.
“It’s sad because they put the Nazi swastika on there, and actually, Donald Trump is the most independent candidate you’re gonna get,” Burns said.
Trump has never openly stated he’s an independent candidate, nor is he running as an independent or third-party candidate. Despite other independent politicians like Robert Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard supporting him, he is running as a Republican.
Both Mehr and Burns said they think it is sad that people feel like they have to resort to this behavior.
“I think people feel like they don’t need to be respectful and are validated by their social media feed. They don’t need to accept other people’s opinions as valid,” Mehr said.
“I think they’re just crazy with the idea that if they vandalize a sign, it’s going to stop the movement in America of politicians and people telling him things and not following through on it,” Burns said.
Mehr, along with her husband, were able to replace their signs and help others in their community replace theirs as well. Ahead of Election Day, Susan said equipping your home with surveillance cameras and keeping porch lights on might help dissuade the issue.
“We can’t take freedom for granted,” Susan said. “Part of that is a responsibility to be tolerant of other people’s views.”
If your sign was stolen or vandalized, you can report the incident to your local police station or file a complaint with the Boone County prosecuting attorney’s office.
