ARLINGTON, Minnesota — Election season is fast approaching, but residents of a rural Minnesota town think the situation has gone too far.
At least three people in Arlington, about an hour’s drive southwest of Minneapolis, recently had their campaign signs stolen from their yards, including Tony Nerud.
“It’s just frustrating to think that we can’t even have a polite conversation about signs,” he said.
According to Arlington Police Chief Glenn Gerads, this has happened with signs from both political parties.
“It’s a crime in the state of Minnesota,” he said. “We don’t want any of this to happen.”
Nerud supports a different party than his neighbor, Darin Haslip, but they agree that political differences do not justify theft or vandalism.
“If we just sit on either side of this fence and throw rocks at each other, everybody’s going to get hurt,” Haslip said. “We’ve got to get to a point where we have to talk.”
“I think it’s important for people to share their differences and be able to communicate,” Nerud said.
Gerads is also frustrated by the thefts.
“We just want people to be civil during the election process,” he said. “Use your voice at the ballot box. That’s where you can use your voice the most.”
Nerud decided to put up cameras.
“I’m a little worried [my signs will] “It can be damaged, but it will stay there. And if it is damaged, we will replace it,” he said.
Haslip thinks it goes too far if cameras are needed.
“If it’s gotten to this point, I think we need to turn it back, stop the train,” he said. “Let’s figure this out, guys. There’s no reason for it.”
David Schuman
