[media-credit name=’LUKAS KEAPPROTH/Herald photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]

Political groups on the University of Wisconsin campus spent the daytime hours of Election Day pointing fingers at who had posted signs in unauthorized places and illegally torn signs down.

Members of Students for Obama, Students for McCain, Students for Nader, College Democrats and College Republicans were allegedly posting signs in places they shouldn’t have, such as street signs, bus shelters and areas too close to polling places.

“Mainly, the campaign postings have to be on approved bulletin boards,” said Sgt. Jerome VanNatta of the UW Police Department.

VanNatta added it appeared several Obama signs had been torn down or ripped near the old Peterson building on University Avenue.

It is illegal to steal or deface signs posted on approved public bulletin areas.

Katie Nix, co-chair for Students for McCain, said she was not aware of any of her members tearing down Obama signs.

“I personally did not see any signs get torn down,” Nix said. “I did not tear any signs down. I think it’s really inappropriate.”

CR Chair Sara Mikolajczak echoed Nix’s statements, adding there was no proof CR or Students for McCain members tore any signs.

“All I can say is that it was not anybody affiliated with the College Republicans,” Mikolajczak said. “And if I find out anybody was, they’re no longer going to be affiliated with the College Republicans because that behavior is unacceptable.”

Aaron Stuff, organizer for Students for Nader, said he believes Obama campaigners tore down or covered up several “Nader/Gonzales” signs and scratched out stickers that were placed on posts throughout the city.

Stuff added he thinks members of every campus political group had been engaging in that kind of behavior.

“I think it’s great that a lot of people do want to get involved in the election. I just think it’s a shame that it’s more about how you deal with it symbolically rather than with the issues,” Stuff said.

Students for Obama Chair Ami ElShareif said there were probably “some incidents” of sign tearing Monday evening and Tuesday morning but said no Obama campaigners were involved.

She also dismissed Stuff’s notion that Nader signs were being torn or covered up.

“Our members have been telling people the whole time we’re going to stay positive,” ElShareif said. “We’re not tearing down signs, not putting things over signs; we’re going to focus on our things and let other groups focus on those.”

Students for McCain Co-chair Mark Bednar called the discussion of the sign tearing “silly” and added that if anybody feels offended by it, “they either need to get a life or see a psychiatrist.”

“If someone thinks that [sign tearing] doesn’t happen or is totally uncalled for then I will gladly give them a story on how I littered,” Bednar said. “And if they want to make a big deal about that, then they are more than welcome to make a big deal out of that.”

UWPD could not offer more information on the investigation as of press time.

–Becky Vevea contributed to this report.