The Howard County Republican Party has reported to police the vandalism of a dozen signs promoting presidential nominee Sen. John McCain and his running mate Gov. Sarah Palin, like these pictured on the corner of Folly Quarter Road and Route 144, in Ellicott City. (photo courtesy Keith Weller)
Political signs vandalized as election draws near
By Mike Santa Rita
msantarita@patuxent.com
Posted 10/06/08
As the presidential campaign enters the final month, local Democrats and Republicans are complaining of repeated vandalism to their campaign signs.
Howard County Republicans reported that 12 4-by-8-foot signs, valued at $125 each, had been either pulled down or vandalized in some way since the party began putting them up Sept. 13.
Howard Democrats have not yet erected larger signs, but a party leader said Oct. 6 that in the previous week alone, 38 yard signs, valued at about $1 each, have been vandalized.
“We see this sign vandalism as basically a challenge to our freedom of speech under the First Amendment,” said John Wafer, a member of the Howard County Republican Central Committee. Wafer said signs had either been torn down or vandalized at the intersection of Snowden River Parkway and Route 108; at Route 103 and Route 104; at Folly Quarter Road and Route 144; and on Route 1.
Michael McPherson, chairman of the Howard County Democratic Central Committee, said most of his party’s vandalized signs had been in the western part of the county, in communities like Glenmont and Woodbine.
He said the vandalism is par for the course in an election season.
“We go through this every election,” McPherson said, although he added: “It seems this year it’s more than ever.”
Wafer said Republican officials had alerted police and expected arrests to be made. A police spokeswoman did not immediately provide information on the police investigation.
“The police say it’s destruction of property,” Wafer said. “I know that if it continues there will probably be some people caught and people prosecuted.”
McPherson said Democrats had not filed a complaint with the police. “Democrats don’t believe in burdening the police with this kind of activity,” he said. “I’m worried about muggings and purse snatchings and people being killed.”
Loretta Shields a Republican Central Committee member said someone painted peace signs all over a McCain-Palin sign in the back yard of her house in Dayton.
“Yesterday morning I was out there with a scrub bush and cleaner,” she said.
Shields said that she was shocked by the vandalism. “It’s a shame that everybody forgets First Amendment rights,” she said.
Howard County Republicans reported that 12 4-by-8-foot signs, valued at $125 each, had been either pulled down or vandalized in some way since the party began putting them up Sept. 13.
Howard Democrats have not yet erected larger signs, but a party leader said Oct. 6 that in the previous week alone, 38 yard signs, valued at about $1 each, have been vandalized.
“We see this sign vandalism as basically a challenge to our freedom of speech under the First Amendment,” said John Wafer, a member of the Howard County Republican Central Committee. Wafer said signs had either been torn down or vandalized at the intersection of Snowden River Parkway and Route 108; at Route 103 and Route 104; at Folly Quarter Road and Route 144; and on Route 1.
Michael McPherson, chairman of the Howard County Democratic Central Committee, said most of his party’s vandalized signs had been in the western part of the county, in communities like Glenmont and Woodbine.
He said the vandalism is par for the course in an election season.
“We go through this every election,” McPherson said, although he added: “It seems this year it’s more than ever.”
Wafer said Republican officials had alerted police and expected arrests to be made. A police spokeswoman did not immediately provide information on the police investigation.
“The police say it’s destruction of property,” Wafer said. “I know that if it continues there will probably be some people caught and people prosecuted.”
McPherson said Democrats had not filed a complaint with the police. “Democrats don’t believe in burdening the police with this kind of activity,” he said. “I’m worried about muggings and purse snatchings and people being killed.”
Loretta Shields a Republican Central Committee member said someone painted peace signs all over a McCain-Palin sign in the back yard of her house in Dayton.
“Yesterday morning I was out there with a scrub bush and cleaner,” she said.
Shields said that she was shocked by the vandalism. “It’s a shame that everybody forgets First Amendment rights,” she said.
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