Letter To The Editor: Writer Questions "Pre-Election Behavior" in Roseville School Board Contest

Editor's Note: The following letter to the editor was submitted by Roseville resident Sara Barsel.

I am writing to express my disappointment and outrage at some of the pre-election behavior that has immediately preceded the ISD 623 School Board election this Tuesday. I also note that Roseville has suffered anonymous interference with elections on other occasions.
 
On Friday, I received a postcard, purportedly from Shari Dion ( a current School Board member) in support of three candidates and in opposition to the two incumbent candidates.  On Saturday, Shari Dion disavowed any connection to this postcard. How disturbing for any of the candidates and current board member Dion. 

Of those individuals receiving this postcard, how many will have time and energy to uncover the truth of any candidate's positions?
 
My postcard was addresed to “School District 623 Voter”.  By my query of neighbors on Saturday, I determined that I am the only individual in my immediate neighborhood who received this card.  I am curious to know how this anonymous source retrieved my address, in order to target individuals for receipt of this card.
 
On Sunday, Nov. 6, I received an email from a candidate informing me that my lawn signs were missing from my property.  They were in place at 7:45 a.m. M., missing by 10:30 a.m. I had four lawn signs posted on my property:  two for incumbent Tom Ring, one for incumbent Lisa Edstrom, and one for candidate Erin Azer.  I know from conversation with these candidates that everyone is surprised and disappointed at this lawn sign theft. 

As my signs would have been visible to many individuals leaving a church parking lot, this was obviously another attempt to influence the election.
 
I am disturbed, because despite arguments for transparency and  “sunshine” in any electoral process, someone(s) with sufficient money to pay for misleading postcards has /have anonymously interfered with this school board election by leveling charges with insufficient time for candidate rebuttal.
 
I am disturbed, because candidate lawn signs have been stolen from my yard. I observe that lawn signs remain in place at other homes.  Freedom of expression is a cornerstone of functional democracy.  Certainly displaying a lawn sign  supporting any candidate is an example of freedom of expression. I have no way to know if the lawn sign theft is coordinated with the postcard distribution.  How disappointing, either way.
I urge everyone to vote on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2011.  If you have questions regarding school board candidate positions, these individuals have posted web sites and distributed post cards with their positions. In addition, School Board candidate positions are available on the Roseville Patch.
 
Do not let some anonymous, cowardly individual(s) influence your vote!
 
Sara Barsel