(1) Except as provided in Subsection (2), a person is guilty of a class B misdemeanor if the person knowingly removes, alters, defaces, or otherwise vandalizes a sign: (a) advocating the election or defeat of a candidate for public office; or (b) advocating the approval or defeat of a ballot proposition.

(a) advocating the election or defeat of a candidate for public office; or

(b) advocating the approval or defeat of a ballot proposition.

(2) A person is not guilty of a violation of Subsection (1) if the person who engages in the conduct described in Subsection (1) is: (a) as it relates to a sign described in Subsection (1)(a), the candidate or an agent of the candidate; (b) as it relates to a sign described in Subsection (1)(b), the person who placed the sign, the person who directed the placement of the sign, or an agent of either; (c) a property owner of property on which the sign is placed or the property owner's agent; or (d) a public official who removes the sign in accordance with an official duty of the public official.

(a) as it relates to a sign described in Subsection (1)(a), the candidate or an agent of the candidate;

(b) as it relates to a sign described in Subsection (1)(b), the person who placed the sign, the person who directed the placement of the sign, or an agent of either;

(c) a property owner of property on which the sign is placed or the property owner's agent; or

(d) a public official who removes the sign in accordance with an official duty of the public official.