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By Michael Bielawski
A Vermont town election worker admitted to pulling up more than 50 campaign signs. She said they were mostly Republican signs and she took them because they allegedly violated state road right of way.
“So far I have taken down about 50 signs that were inappropriately placed in the public right of ways. I notice another person(s) have been doing the same thing, and some signs have been knocked down and left where they stand. I’ve been picking up all the roadside trash I see,” wrote Heather Bowman of Braintree on Front Porch Forum several days ago.
Bowman is active in her community. She is on the Kimball Library (Randolph) Board of Trustees, she’s the organizer of the Orange Southwest School District Friends of Music, and she’s an assistant election worker appointed by the Braintree Board of Civil Authority.
Bowman explained the signs were placed a violation of state law regarding the required setback for signs from the center of state roads.
“No privately owned signs are allowed in the state right of way, which is at least 25 feet from the centerline of the highway. Highway medians are smack dab in the middle of the right of way,” she wrote.
She wrote that nearly all of the signs were for Republican candidates.
“For the curious, all but three of the signs were for the Republican Party,” she wrote. “Two were for Independents. The Independent signs were printed locally and with Union labor. The metal sign supports were stronger, thicker, and longer for the Independent vs Republican signs.”
The state has guidelines for how to place political signs. Guidelines from the Secretary of State’s Office state, “Signs may not be located within state highway rights-of-way or attached to a state or town sign, post or guardrail. Most highway rights-of-way in Vermont are at least three rods, or 49.5 feet. This means that signs must be placed at least 24.75 feet away from the centerline of most highways.”
An article in People Magazine details how stealing or inhibiting lawfully placed political signs is a crime.
“Expression of political beliefs is protected under the First Amendment,” the story states. “This includes posting signs in yards and windows on private property. In 1994, the Supreme Court reversed a local ordinance in Ladue, Missouri that prevented residents from publicly displaying signs with political messages.”
There can be serious penalties depending on the state. “According to the Cornell Law School, a misdemeanor is typically punishable by up to 12 months in jail. Other penalties include fines, community service and imprisonment for less than a year,” the article says.
According to Cincinnati.com, sign thefts are becoming more of an issue nationwide as the election draws closer. Their report states, “With the 2024 presidential election just over a week away, a smattering of complaints have been lodged about signs pulling Houdini acts from yards in Colerain Township, as well as elsewhere in Ohio and Kentucky.”
Some social media users have taken sign stealing as an opportunity to put up and share larger ones.
“Steal little signs this will happen next!” wrote Kari Bonne with a video showing giant new campaign signs for Trump.
Erin Koper from Pittsburgh wrote, “I know how badly the raging libs want me to steal their signs but I would never do that. You guys are sore losers and I’m so so beyond greatful that I switched my party from D to R years ago! We are nothing alike never was and never will be.”
And @RedShorts shared a video of surveillance of an electrified Trump sign.
“BOOM! This homeowner electrified his Trump sign and set up a camera to catch anyone trying to steal it,” the post states.
The author is a writer for the Vermont Daily Chronicle
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Categories: politics
Another useful ejit… big surprise… in Randolph. GACK!
Talk about cooties spreading…
And another privelaged, entitled white woman havin’ her way or no way… go figure. If you walk into the library when she is there, you feel like you are walking into a high security area… rules! rules! rules!!! Not one millimeter beyond the invisible line, ma’am…
And NOT very service minded…
As opposed to the guy whose signs she pulled up…
Remember when politics and religion were never discussed at the dinner table, and who you voted for was PRIVATE???
On the other hand, one can tell when one is right over the target by the response to being there…
For my friends, everything. For my enemies, justice!
Yup, you can always tell a brainwashed progressive liberal, she’s just another ” Karen ” by her actions, and they always have an excuse for there actions, except for but being crazy.
Just think, we have a state house full of the clowns that you voted in and you wonder why the state is in financial decay, how’s your latest tax bill……. vote these clowns out.
Liberals have become useless idiots. I did hear that CNN has called Vermont for Harris already🤪
anyone who has lived in Vermont and pays attention could have beaten CNN and CBS news to the punch 6 months, or 6 years for that matter before any election, calling it for the democrat…real clairvoyance…
That’s pretty much why RFK, Jr. didn’t bother to ask to have his name removed from the VT ballot.
he Agency of Transportation (Travel Information Council) enforces Vermont’s sign law. 10 V.S.A. §§481-506. According to these statutes:
Signs may not be located within state highway rights-of-way or attached to a state or town sign, post or guardrail. Most highway rights-of-way in Vermont are at least three rods, or 49.5 feet. This means that signs must be placed at least 24.75 feet away from the centerline of most highways.
Did she read the law or think every sign that is within 49 feet is wrong… People should sue. She is also not it the position or power to take them down.
Clearly; the person involved in this “Braintree Gate” issue; does not leave their area much or they would have noticed that the towns/cities in Vermont that have a median(s) do have multiple political road signs ( especially the D’s ). This issue smacks of election interference; The Braintree Board Of Civil Authority should the 1st immediate stop to handle this before the Board itself is called into the Vermont Secretary Of State’s Office after a complaint is filed.
Trump is going to reduce the cost of energy 50%. He did it before and so I kind of got to believe he will do it again. Where the opposition, if they continue their policies, will raise prices, cause a WAR, and who knows what other chaos and strife they will cause. So what would you call a person that votes for war, higher prices, and strife opposed to the one that votes for peace, prosperity, and joy?? I am not having any trouble knowing what is best and who will fix it.
I wonder if she is also a cop, screaming at people who exceed the speed limit? Such people also stole or drove over more than 200 of my signs in Orange County in 2022. These cost money, and most of my signs were legally placed. Those that weren’t were pulled by state workers (whose job it is to do so), and I was able to go retrieve them. How is she returning these “private signs” to the owners, and the voters who contributed to them? If she isn’t, she is admitting to larceny — I bet there might be some honest cops in the area who could remind her that she is exceeding her authority by being a self-congratulatory thief. I may go see her at Kimball — a demonic habitat of its own.
Bring back the stockades, and basket of rotten cabbages, in the town square, for these self appointed destroyers of others rights, and freedoms, then tar and feathers…for starters.
Figurately speaking…
Ironic in a state that is only second to Hawaii in being blue that she only tossed Republican signs……………
If a Republican had taken down one Pride flag, it would have been the crime of the century. She’s a Liberal, so nothing will happen, as usual.
I’m not sure who appointed Ms. Bowman the sign police, but, as a Braintree resident and member of the Board of Civil Authority, I am embarrassed. Her actions are perceived as politically motivated. I’m not saying that they ARE politically motivated, but PERCEIVED as such for sure. And perception becomes reality very quickly. I certainly hope that Ms. Bowman’s actions are NOT endorsed by the Town of Braintree. If they are, it’s the first I’m hearing about it. Tuesday can’t come quickly enough. Time to move on and stop the silliness for which most of us have zero time of tolerance.
This woman should be publicly shamed and then sent to mandatory mental health counseling.
I do not know of anyone who does this to hard working candidates no matter what party or political persuasion they are. Could this be considered political tampering? Way too much hatred on her team.
Even if the signs were improperly placed, I don’t think this woman has the authority to remove them. And even if she did, if she destroyed them as other communications on this topic indicate, that is a crime as well. If so, she should be prosecuted. When the Agency of Transportation collects such signs the hold them for pick up by the candidate.
Unless this person works for Vermont AOT (which I highly doubt), I agree that this person did not have the authority to remove any campaign signs. Below, is an excerpt from the Vermont SOS website:
3. The Agency of Transportation (Travel Information Council) enforces Vermont’s sign law. 10 V.S.A. §§481-506. According to these statutes:
Signs may not be located within state highway rights-of-way or attached to a state or town sign, post or guardrail. Most highway rights-of-way in Vermont are at least three rods, or 49.5 feet. This means that signs must be placed at least 24.75 feet away from the center line of most highways.
Signs should be removed immediately after the election.
Signs may not be attached to trees.
Signs may not interfere with, imitate, or resemble any official traffic control sign, signal, or device; or appear to attempt to direct the movement of traffic.
Signs may not be located in a way that prevents drivers from having a clear and unobstructed view of official traffic control signs and approaching or merging traffic.
Signs may not be positioned so that they are readable primarily from a limited access facility (which includes the interstates and ramps and some other highways—such as US 7 between Bennington and Dorset).
Signs must be in good repair and securely affixed to a substantial structure.
Enforcement: The Travel Information Council is authorized to order the removal of any illegal off-premises, on-premises or exempt sign. If the sign is within the state highway right-of-way, the Agency of Transportation may remove a temporary sign that is not affixed to a substantial structure, without prior notice.
4. On town highways temporary campaign signs may be displayed for a period of not more than two weeks within the highway right-of-way because they are exempt from the state sign law under 10 V.S.A. §494(9). Enforcement on town highways is the responsibility of the legislative body (select board).
The thing about libs is that they are chronic liars. This had nothing to do with state statutes, and everything to do with her outrage with those who vote using logic and common sense.
She should be prosecuted for election interference, honestly.
And let me guess: she’s helping to “count” ballots next week (wink, wink).
It’s always a good idea to adhere some razor blades to the outer edges of your signs, if you dare to publicly support Republicans or independents. You can bet that this Kamala supporter would never have observed the “right of way rule” for any of those social justice signs about BLM, hate has no home here, roe roe roe your vote etc…
The left is all about selective outrage when they claim to support free expression…
I am beyond fed up with adults acting like petulent toddlers! Is this behavior of arrested development due to mulitple vaccines, boosters or just too ignorant beyond redemption?
Lady Heather, if you can’t put your big girl pants on and be a civil human being, perhaps you need to pull up your training pants, find a corner or a closet, suck your thumb, and pour your emotions out to your teddy bear. Your involvment in civil goverment is a scourge, not a service to the community at large. You’re over 40 years old? For God’s sake, grow up all ready – menopause is right around the corner – and maybe a straight jacket with your estrogen booters if you can’t manage your anger issues.
Where is the news media that should be covering the Braintree Conspiracy?
the next time I see a Karen (Heather) crossing the highway with purple hair and a tape measure I know what to do, these people are pathetic.