Voters will decide on June 7 If recreational marijuana can still be sold in Yellowstone County.
The Billings Police have received reports of vandalism to campaign signs and are now looking for the public's help in finding the people responsible for stealing and damaging those signs.
Signs stating to vote for overturning recreational marijuana dispensaries and to vote against overturning have been seen all over Yellowstone County.
Many of the signs from SafeMontana, the group putting up the signs to overturn, have been stolen or damaged.
"It's not fair," said Steve Zabawa, SafeMontana founder. "It's not decent. It's a criminal act of stealing and you're affecting the outcome of an actual election."
Zabawa said campaign signs are part of the message for the political process.
The police have received reports of vandalism to the signs and the investigation into the SafeMontana case shows at least 25 signs where $7,500 have been damaged or lost.
"They actually stole my signs and they actually ruined a bunch of the," said Zabawa. "And they've done it now for a month and a half. This isn't a one time event. This is $30,000 worth of advertising I missed I figured as far as impressions. Plus over $10,000 of hard actual signs missing and stolen. The only people that would still steal those signs is the opposition."
"I was named as a suspect directly by Steve Zabawa," said Jason Smith, treasurer for Better For Montana. "But obviously I think I'm way too busy to be going around destroying somebody's personal property. I'm trying to return it to him."
Smith and his group Better For Montana are campaigning to vote against overturning recreational marijuana.
He says he has had about four signs lost or damaged.
And he's helped return some of those SafeMontana signs that were dropped off at some of the marijuana shops.
"I don't condone that at all and neither does it Better For Montana," Smith said. "Whoever is doing that is standing alone unless she has somebody else helping her."
"We've gotten some nice video of the perpetrator," Zabawa said. "And let's turn her in. I'll give $2,500 to the person that names that person and it gets that person convicted.
And the police also asked you to call (406) 657-8200 if you have any information.
