Vandalism

I’m incredibly disappointed by the recent vandalism of our signs opposing Proposition 1. Over a dozen signs in Meridian and Eagle were defaced, with some even marked with swastikas. These illegal actions don’t just violate the law — they undermine the democratic process, which relies on voters hearing from all sides before making informed decisions.

As if vandalism wasn’t enough, now I’m hearing that some misguided people are continuing to harass the Idaho GOP by putting little Prop 1 signs directly in front of ours. It’s ridiculous!

It’s ironic that the same crowd pushing to change the rules after failing to win fairly now feels entitled to destroy campaign signs they oppose. This is particularly rich, given their claim that a blanket primary and Ranked Choice Voting would produce “moderate” leaders. Where’s the moderation in vandalizing our signs?

These signs were placed by individual citizens in their communities who invested their own time and energy to warn their neighbors about the dangers of Ranked Choice Voting. I never thought I’d see the day in Idaho where campaign signs would be targeted like this.

I don’t like the idea of so-called hate crimes — I believe a crime is a crime — but the Nazi imagery used here is especially troubling. Those who try to silence free speech and disrupt elections should take a hard look at themselves in a mirror before casting such vile stones.

I wonder where the sponsors of Prop 1 stand on this. Do they think it’s acceptable, just part of the political process? If their signs were defaced, I’m sure they’d be outraged — and rightly so.

This vandalism reveals the desperation of Prop 1’s supporters. They’ve spread so many lies in this campaign, and now they’re frantic that Idaho voters will see the truth. Prop 1 isn’t about open primaries, despite their claims. It’s about imposing Ranked Choice Voting on Idaho, a convoluted system where winners can lose and losers can win, one that is so complex that it will drive down turnout rather than increase it.

Alaska tried Ranked Choice Voting, and the people hated it so much that they have a repeal on the ballot this year. Both the Idaho Republican Party and the Republican National Committee have passed resolutions against it. Our Legislature has even banned it.

But the Idaho GOP won’t be deterred. For every sign these vandals destroy, two more will take its place. We’re also offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrators. We will not let radical leftists undermine either our voting process or our free and fair elections.

I encourage our supporters to remain vigilant, report any suspicious activity to the authorities, and continue to engage in the political process respectfully and lawfully. I hope the other side will choose to do the same thing.