Is it illegal in Colorado to remove a campaign sign from someone’s yard?

DENVER ( KDVR ) — With the upcoming 2024 presidential election in November, campaign signs will likely be spotted on several front yards. No matter who you’re voting for, taking a political sign from someone’s front yard is illegal, and if you’re caught, you could face legal repercussions.

According to the Colorado State Patrol, removing or taking a sign is illegal and considered theft. However, the actual charges and consequences depend on the local agency.

“It can depend on the circumstances, such as if the sign was completely taken from the lawn/residence can be theft, or if the sign is destroyed can be considered criminal mischief,” said Trooper Gabriel Moltrer with CSP. “Those all can be classified in different categories, also from price points of the value of each sign or combined total on one residence.”

Legal repercussions of stealing a campaign sign

According to the 17th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, stealing an election sign from someone’s front yard in Colorado is considered an election offense under Colorado Revised State Law Section 1-13-113 , which is a class two misdemeanor. Those who are caught could pay for the cost of replacing it, which is enforceable within 45 days of the election.

Meanwhile, local police stations consider stealing an election sign off someone’s lawn as theft and trespassing, depending on the circumstances.

According to the Denver Police Department, stealing a political sign in the Mile High City is no different than if someone walked onto a front yard and stole anything else.

While it depends on the incident, Denver police, as well as the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, said it could generally be considered trespassing and theft.

Under Colorado Revised Statutes, theft can be considered a petty offense or a felony based on the price of the object stolen. A petty offense is considered for an object that is under $300 and a felony if it’s over a thousand. Meanwhile, under certain circumstances, trespassing is considered a class one misdemeanor.

If your campaign signs go missing, you are asked to collect any video or photo evidence and report it to local authorities.

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