‘It’s disappointing’: Political candidates report vandalized, stolen campaign signs in New Hanover Co.

‘It’s disappointing’: Political candidates report vandalized, stolen campaign signs in New Hanover Co.

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) - Political signs across New Hanover County have been vandalized or stolen as early voting continues, according to leaders from both the Republican and Democratic parties.

Republican Party Chair John Hinnant said signs for Republican campaigns have been spray-painted with a black circle and slash.

“We feel like if our candidate signs are getting defaced, I think it helps us because our voters get more motivated to vote,” Hinnant said.

Democratic Party Chair Jill Hopman shared a photo of signs she said were taken down and thrown into a pile. She said hundreds of signs have been stolen. Hopman says it’s been more prominent this cycle than ever.

“We just ask that the public respect everybody’s sign for another eleven days and then they will start to be removed. But it’s been really disappointing on both sides. I think it needs to stop,” Hopman said.

Republican Sen. Michael Lee also condemned an antisemitic slur written on one of his signs.

According to a Facebook post, Lee states:

Hinnant and Hopman said the vandalism sends a divisive message about the state of politics in the county.

“It’s not a very good political statement. It says more about the vandals than it does the actual damage to the signs,” Hinnant said.

“Elections sometimes bring out the worst in both sides. People get very emotional, very riled about it. They want to make any stand possible, and sometimes I think they do it in a disrespectfully childish, as you just said, counterproductive way,” Hopman said.

Vandalizing political signs is illegal in North Carolina, a Class 3 misdemeanor punishable by a fine or jail time.

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