Ask Mr. Answer Person: "Is damage to political yard signs higher this year?"

(Several decorahnews.com readers have e-mailed us with questions about damaged yard signs.  A persistent question is: "Is this election unusual?")

Mr. Answer Person says: "Veteran political volunteers will tell you that yard signs get damaged during every election campaign.  That's because they make tempting targets for young kids and for drunks!

There have been numerous reports involving political yard sign damage this fall--the photo above from Mechanic Street is the latest instance--but they've involved both Republican and Democratic yard signs.

It's been impossible to determine who's responsible for the damage--has it been young kids or something more sinister, like Democrats damaging Republican signs and Republicans damaging Democratic signs?

Here's what Mr. Answer Person thinks he can say: The emotions and the accusations have been stronger this election than they have been in past elections.  That's not a good trend!

So leave those yard signs alone--and give your political opponents the benefit of the doubt!"