TOPEKA (KSNT) – ‘Vote Yes’ and ‘Vote No’ signs blanket the landscape in Kansas as the time for the August 2 primary vote inches closer.

More and more signs have been vandalized, including one that stands in front of the Topeka burger joint, The Pad.

“This is America,” said Troy Mentzer, Pad owner. “People understand that we’re supposed to have a strong passionate discourse, and it’s OK to have different opinions. There’s always gonna be people that vandalize stuff and it’s unfortunate that it happens, you know, just because someone has a different opinion.”

Someone also spray painted over the electronic LED sign at the Community Church in Topeka. The sign is displaying a “Vote Yes” message.

“We kind of assumed something like this would happen,” said John Griffith, lead pastor at the Community Church. “I don’t know if we assumed they would go as far as spray paint it, but um, I think a lot of us saw it coming and, we’re like, okay, what are we going to do about it?”

The Pad and the church plan to leave the vandalized signs up through the election. Police are also planning ahead for election night.

“We don’t have any information that leads us to believe that there is anything that will take place, however, we can’t just plan for nothing. We always have to take the precautions and discuss potential things that could occur, and have things in place so that when it does happen, we are prepared,” said Lieutenant Manuel Munoz with the Topeka Police Department.

The TPD plans to take all precautions necessary to keep the public safe following the August 2 vote.