This was one version of “rock the vote” Chris Miller could have done without.

Miller on Thursday was tiptoeing around shards of glass at Douglas County Republican Party headquarters, the result of a large rock that was thrown through the front window overnight.

The rock was shrouded in a partially burned American flag with the words “No Kerry” and “No Bush” scrawled on it.

“Obviously it’s somebody who likes to sneak around under cover of darkness and doesn’t like to make their positions known,” said Miller, the local party chairman. “It’s a sad commentary on the people behind it.”

He said he wasn’t sure what message the vandal was sending by tossing the flag and rock into the temporary election headquarters, which is at 10th and Kentucky streets in the same building as the Community Drop-In Center.

The projectile knocked down a poster of President Bush that had been taped inside and across the office window. The poster was crumpled by the impact.

Sgt. Dan Ward of the Lawrence Police Department said officers took a report on the crime Thursday morning.

Ward said officers didn’t think the flag was on fire when it was thrown into the headquarters. The crime is being investigated as criminal damage to property, he said.

Miller said the only vandalism seen by Republican campaigners before Thursday was to yard signs.

Chris Miller, chairman of the Douglas County Republican Party examines a broken window left after a vandal struck the party headquarters early Thursday. In the foreground is a damaged poster of President Bush that had been on the inside of the window.

The Douglas County Democratic Party headquarters, in the I-70 Business Center, 1025 N. Third St., was vandalized overnight Oct. 2. Someone spray-painted “Bush” on a wall and on a trailer festooned with Democratic campaign materials.

Amy Polson, volunteer coordinator for the county Democrats, expressed condolences for the Republicans.

“That’s terrible,” Polson said. “We’ve had nothing that dramatic.”

The window at the Republican headquarters was replaced Thursday afternoon.

As for the poster of Bush, it’s back in the window. Miller said he thought he might forward it on to Bush after the election.

“We’re not going to let some left-wing vandal disturb our efforts,” he said.

6News video: Republican headquarters vandalized (10-28-04) 6News video: Douglas County Democratic Headquarters vandalized over weekend (10-04-04)