http://ozarkspub.vo.llnwd.net/o37/KSMU/audio/mp3/vandalism-uncivil-exchanges-reported-springfield-election-day-draws-near_48373.mp3
As Election Day draws near, several people in Greene County have reported vandalism, uncivil exchanges, and theft of campaign signs.
17-year-old Madison Morgan, a student at Central High School, says she came out of the Panera Bread cafe at Elm and National Thursday morning to find a note on her car.
“Stop drinking the Obama juice, you are an idiot and people like you we need to get rid of. You are a jerk”
She had an Obama Bumper Magnet on the back of her 97’ Chevy Cavalier.
Morgan says she has had friends and family members who have had bumper stickers and lawn signs stolen.
“I was hurt they don’t know who they are insulting. I’m 17. I can’t vote. I don’t have any effect on their political beliefs. If they can tell me what they think, I should be able to say what I think as well,” she said.
Ellijah Haahr, a Republican running for state representative in the 134th District, told KSMU that his campaign sign was vandalized, even though it was four foot by eight foot in size, and staked to the ground with two-by-fours.
He says the vandals took the time to cut out his photograph and the text, leaving just the wood staked into the ground.
Both the Republican and Democratic headquarters in Greene County told KSMU they have had several reports of lawn signs being stolen, as they do every election season.
Kellie Freeman Rohrbaugh is the director of the Greene County Democratic central committee. She couldn't say whether these types of acts are happening more frequently this election year, but acknowledges that they are extremely frustrating and unhelpful.
“The thing to me is that there is so much division in the country right now all the way up and down the ticket. To have something honestly ridiculous like this is disappointing.”
Election Day is Tuesday.
For KSMU News I’m Shannon Bowers