“A person who removes or defaces lawfully placed political advertising including yard signs or billboards without authorization is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable to the same extent as a misdemeanor that is punishable under RCW 9A.20.021. The defacement or removal of each item constitutes a separate violation.”

That said, thousands of signs in the south county have been vandalized. How many of you knew it was a misdemeanor? More than once I have actually caught someone in the act. It isn’t easy convincing a deputy to take a report, but that doesn’t mean people should get away with it.

This year, I contacted the Obama for America office because a friend asked me how to get a sign to put up. On the other end of the phone the campaign worker said, “We don’t have any. We don’t recommend that people put them up.” He went on to explain that the people who have put them up in rural areas have often been the targets of other vandalism. Really, folks are we that afraid of each other?

There are lots of sign games. Putting up multiples next to the opponent, blocking the signs of the opponent, knocking down the opponent, etc, etc. ad nauseam. The signs candidates use these days are expensive. They use screws to anchor them so that they will hold up to wind and weather. It is not unusual for a little yard sign to cost between $8 and $10 apiece. So knocking down and destroying 10 of them is $100 worth of vandalism.

Years ago a south county legislator was actually cited by a deputy as he was tearing down his opponent’s sign, breaking the stick and throwing it in the blackberry bushes. It didn’t give him jail time, but there are certainly fines and restitution if you are caught.

Now all that said, there was a prime example found just yesterday along the Mountain Highway. A countywide candidate’s large 4 x 8 foot sign was placed over the top of another local candidate. This wasn’t his opponent, but it created a great deal of consternation and creativity to “fix” the situation without violating the law. Granted at that moment, the slighted candidate probably wanted to just shred the other candidate’s sign. Here’s the actual result. Point made, no harm, no foul in the response.

Are we glad it’s over Tuesday? Amen.

The candidates have 10 days after tomorrow, that’s through November 16 to get their signs removed. After that date, perhaps, you can consider them fair game.

And next, year – don’t touch those signs!

RCW 9A.20.021  “Misdemeanor. Every person convicted of a misdemeanor defined in Title 9A RCW shall be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for a maximum term fixed by the court of not more than ninety days, or by a fine in an amount fixed by the court of not more than one thousand dollars, or by both such imprisonment and fine.”