Election 2008

Campaign signs still taking a beating
Clovis Drive signs still up ‘to show people what idiots there are out there’

By Kathrine Warren
Herald Staff Report

In the build up to today’s election, more political signs were reported damaged or vandalized during the Halloween weekend.

County Commissioner Wally White, up for re-election, reported finding a group of signs along U.S. Highway 160 near Farmington Hill torn down or damaged Saturday morning.

“I’m just disgusted with it,” White said.

Signs supporting White, John Salazar, Mark Udall, Todd Risberg and Barack Obama were cut off and thrown aside, broken in half or torn off their posts. The only sign left standing was for County Commissioner Kellie Hotter.

They were posted on property owned by Bruce Garlick on the north side of the highway just east of Dietz Market. According to White, Garlick always supports Democratic candidates, and had Hotter’s sign posted because he is friends with her.

Hotter said she had heard reports of vandalism throughout the county, but to her knowledge her signs had only been damaged by weather.

“I think (vandalism) is distasteful,” she said.

White said he experienced sign vandalism during his last campaign four years ago.

“I had quite a few yard signs stolen and a big one torn down and stolen,” he said. “It’s a fairly common thing, but it’s disappointing it goes on in any case.”

La Plata County Republican Party Chairman Ron Tate, said area Republicans have reported signs going missing more than anything else, specifically signs supporting McCain and Sarah Palin.

“People are coming in three and four times for more signs,” Tate said.

Tate said he had received reports of multiple signs being stolen off properties, but couldn’t say exactly how many.

“Everyone’s got a right to the First Amendment,” he said. “Passions are running high and it’s an important election, I recommend to people to let their neighbors express their opinions and ideas.”

Nancy and Dan Stilwell had their signs supporting Udall and Obama damaged on Friday night on Clovis Drive. Saturday morning they found their two Obama signs and a Udall sign spray-painted with an ‘x’.

“I decided to leave them as is to kind of make a statement back,” Nancy said. “At first I thought I’d take them down, but I wanted to show people what idiots there are out there.”

She said the incident may have been related to Halloween activities, but her decorations and pumpkin weren’t touched. She also noted that signs supporting John McCain down the street were untouched.

La Plata County Democratic party Chairwoman Jean Walter said she doesn’t think political sign damage is done by campaign supporters.

“Well they might be Democrats or Republicans, I have no idea, but I think they’re vandals, and I don’t want to claim them, and I know the Republicans don’t want to either,” she said.

“Ron and I are working hard to get our candidates elected, and then these vandals come along and make both campaigns look bad.”

kwarren@durangoherald.com