When the Trolls Come Out at Night: The Curious Case of Disappearing Campaign Signs

In the realm of politics, where debates span from policy nuances to triple taxes, there’s a surprising cast lurking in the shadows: the trolls. No, not the mythical creatures of folklore, but rather the real-world perpetrators behind the vanishing act of campaign signs.

Political yard signs always spark conversations about elections, but they also ignite something else—theft.

Echoing the sentiment of the musical trio Whodini, who famously sang about the nightlife in “The Freaks Come Out at Night,” one can’t help but reimagine his lyrics in a contemporary context: “The Trolls Come Out at Night.” 

In Cobb County, this adaptation sadly rings true as political yard signs are vanishing into the darkness, leaving candidates and constituents alike scratching their heads. Cobb has Trolls roaming the county, targeting the signs of some candidates while sparing others. These thefts are not cute and are costing candidates money to replace stolen signs.

For those who don’t engage in such behavior, it may be hard to believe, but it’s a reality. There are some people whose singular job each election cycle is to steal campaign signs. Campaign sign theft and vandalism are persistent problems during election season, but what many fail to grasp is that stealing or tampering with a sign constitutes a crime. With election season in full swing, officials emphasize that destroying or stealing campaign signs is a punishable offense and they will arrest and prosecute offenders. Destroying campaign signs is a misdemeanor, classified as destruction of private property, carrying penalties such as a $1,000 fine and a 12-month sentence for perpetrators. Offenders can face charges of theft, property damage, and trespassing.

The impact of this issue isn’t lost on candidates Shelia Edwards and Yashica Marshall. Edwards is running for the Chair of the Cobb County Commission, while Marshall seeks the Cobb County District 4 Commission seat. Both campaigns have shared images of damaged, destroyed, and stolen signs. Said Marshall, “Someone removed my large signs. I called Code Enforcement and was told that they did not remove my signs. Trolls taking down signs does not just impact me, but also impacts citizens who participate in the political process via a donation – signs bought by funds they donated are winding up in the trash because of sign Trolls. This is not right.”

Meanwhile Edwards said, “Candidates who engage Trolls to take down signs should stop this foolishness. Removing an opponent’s sign is not going to make voters forget that your candidate should not be re-elected because of  triple taxes they are trying to impose on Cobb Citizens or their poor leadership skills.”

Law enforcement, as well as candidates Edwards and Marshall urge vigilance – if you witness anyone destroying campaign signs, note their vehicle’s tag number or take a picture and report it to local law enforcement.