Letter: Vandals Attacking Campaign Signs in the 1st Legislative District

Editor's Note: According to King County Elections, running in the Aug. 7 primary for State Senate in the 1st Legislative District, which includes the Finn Hill area of Kirkland, are Repulican Dawn McCravey and Democrats Rosemary McAulifffe (incumbent) and Guy Palumbo.

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Dear Editor,

It is election season once again, and sadly, as in past elections, someone is targeting the campaign signs of Dawn McCravey, candidate for State Senate in the 1st Legislative District. Perhaps the thieves and vandals do not realize that their actions are illegal. RCW 29A.84.040 states that “a person who removes or defaces lawfully placed political advertising including yard signs or billboards without authorization is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable to the same extent as a misdemeanor that is punishable under RCW 9A.20.021. The defacement or removal of each item constitutes a separate violation.”

The sentence for stealing or vandalizing campaign signs is up to ninety days in jail, or a fine of up to thousand dollars, or both imprisonment and a fine for each violation.

Beyond just the legal ramifications from these unlawful acts is the fact that by attacking the campaign signs of a candidate you don’t support you only succeed in making the other candidates look bad. You see, when you steal or vandalize Dawn McCravey’s signs, it gives the appearance that one of her opponents is behind your actions. Your sleazy behavior in regard to Dawn’s signs reflects badly on Guy Palumbo and Rosemary McAuliffe. It makes them look guilty. It’s just bad politics no matter how you look at it.

-Berta Phillips, Bothell