Letter: Sign stealing shows no respect for election process
Editor: Last year, the Democratic Party Headquarters of St. Johns County was unfortunately victimized by the theft of a large ground-level sign denoting the location of their office on King Street.
Once again similar tactics are being used in an on-going organized campaign to affect the outcome of duly designated candidates. Outraged citizens, myself included, are reporting the destruction, theft and even "coverup" of signs denoting Democratic candidates from governor to local commissioners.
Two days ago, I placed a sign for Alex Sink and one for Undine Pawlowski on my property facing A1A Beach Boulevard. The Sink sign was gone the next day. The Pawlowski sign was smashed but still usable.
Previously, the first Pawlowski sign I put up was also removed overnight. I replaced all signs immediately and also appeared before the beach City Commission to address the sign harassment issue.
I must now report similar actions point to a systematic attempt to remove a variety of Democratic candidates' signs throughout our community. A friend and fellow political activist reported that the magnetic sign on her car supporting Doug Courtney was stolen last
weekend.
A caller also reported to the Dems headquarters that all the party's candidates signs had been removed from the Southeast Branch Library voting location and along much of U.S. 1 South, and noted that even at the Supervisor of Elections polling location, vandals had effectively covered-up all Dems signs by placing a Scott sign right up against every Sink one.
Yes, we know sign stealing and other misdeeds at election time are not new and may never go away. But how can we ever hope to establish and maintain a proper regard for the rights of individuals to run for public office and support the democratic principles of our country if we allow this to go unchecked and unnoticed?
All community residents need to take a stand and get fellow citizens to commit to watch and report such actions by spoilers of the democratic process. Let them know that you're alert and watching what they're doing, don't approve, and will report them to the proper authorities.
Dee Lovell
St. Augustine Beach
Dee Lovell is a member of the St. Johns County Democratic Committee.
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