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Candidates say political signs disappearing

Editor’s note: This is a Sept. 23  update to the original Sept. 18 article. We will update further as candidate responses continue.

Sept. 25 Update: Added candidate response from Incumbent Council Member LeOtis Williams of Whaleyville.

As campaign season heats up, Suffolk election candidates say they are experiencing their campaign signs turning up missing. 

Suffolk Mayoral Candidates David Bosselman, Clinton Jenkins, represented by Karen Jenkins, and Incumbent Mayor Michael Duman share they are experiencing unauthorized signage removal during their campaigns. Bosselman says his campaign signs have been disappearing, with instances increasing as early voting approached.

“In the last two weeks, it’s gotten pretty bad,” Bosselman said. “I suspect it will probably stay like this up until Election Day.”

Bosselman believes it’s not the work of any specific campaign or candidate themselves. Instead, he suspects individual supporters of other candidates attempting to reduce the visibility of competitors’ signs to strengthen their preferred candidate’s position.

In a statement, Karen Jenkins says it is unfortunate that individuals find it “acceptable behavior” to remove and destroy campaign signs supporting Clinton Jenkins.

“Week after week, signs costing hundreds and hundreds of dollars are purchased only to be taken down, stolen, or defaced. This has been done time and time again regarding campaign signs of Mayoral Candidate Clint Jenkins. Those who are resorting to these acts of vandalism may think they’re striking a blow against the Jenkins campaign, but in reality, they are damaging the democratic process. They are impeding the process of having fair and open elections in our City,” Jenkins said. “Every time someone removes a legally placed campaign sign, they are not just removing a campaign sign but removing and defacing an important part of our democratic process. They show no regard whatsoever for the democratic process that many Americans fought and died for. They show no concern for supporting an informed electorate when it has [been] said time and time again that ‘an educated citizenry is a vital requisite for our survival as a free people.’ They are only interested in winning at all cost, even if it means dismantling time honored traditions and harming our democratic system and the electoral process.”

Jenkins continued, noting that it is a crime to steal political signs, with the theft and vandalization of political signs “no different” than any other personal property crime.

“Offenders may be charged with theft and damage to property, which is considered a misdemeanor punishable by up to twelve months in jail and a fine of not more than $2,500,” she said. “Thieves may take away physical symbols of support, but they can’t take away a candidate’s proven track record or the passion others may have for their candidacy. So, to those who are frustrated by these senseless acts, don’t lose heart. Instead, let this be a wake-up call and a reminder of what is at stake in this election. This election is not only about electing a candidate, but ensuring that our democratic institutions remain strong and vibrant. It is about ensuring that citizens of Suffolk are informed about those running for public office and that every vote is counted.”

Jenkins says that it is the voters who will determine the outcome of the election, not theft of campaign signs.

“Let’s rise above the pettiness and negativity, and when Election Day comes, go to the polls and vote,” Jenkins said.

During a Wednesday, Aug. 28 interview, Duman detailed his situation, noting that he received a Sunday, Aug. 25 evening phone call around 7:30 p.m. from a citizen that one of his signs had been removed in the Downtown area.

“I believe it was adjacent to Birdsong Peanuts, and that seemed to be an isolated event that was on [Sunday]. Yesterday, when I came to work as I was driving down Route 10, I noticed that the sign was missing on Godwin Boulevard, almost directly across from the dealership that is in a citizen’s yard,” Duman said. “So whoever vandalized that sign actually trespassed on an individual’s property to have the sign removed, and that gave me a little reason for concern.”

Duman also detailed that during the evening on that same Tuesday, he noticed another campaign sign that had been removed near Barton Ford Suffolk. Duman says that “about six” signs in total disappeared.

“These are 4×4 signs,” he said. “Two steel poles and there’s six zip ties on each one of them. So they’re hard to take off and had to be cut off.”

Duman continued, expressing his frustration over the signage removal.

“Acts such as this, they show a total disrespect for the democratic process and the candidates that it affects, and I think it reflects negatively on all the candidates,” Duman said. “and it’s unfortunate that certain individuals have stooped to these tactics during this election…”

On the City Council Candidate side, Sleepy Hole Borough Candidate Ebony Wright, Whaleyville Borough Candidate Jason Wooldridge and Incumbent Council Members Roger Fawcett of Sleepy Hole and LeOtis Williams of Whaleyville each shared their experiences.

During a Wednesday, Aug. 28 interview, Wright says that while she was out of town the prior week, she received a phone call from her husband on the morning of Tuesday, Aug. 20 and a follow-up text that same afternoon. He notified her that signage across the street from the Suffolk Police Station and a 4×4 sign behind the Harris Teeter at the corner of Shoulders Hill went missing.

“And I was like, ‘But how? Those are both on the city property.’ And he was like, ‘Well, yours are gone, but your opponents aren’t gone.’ I said, ‘Ok.’ So I didn’t want him to go trying to track nobody down while I wasn’t home,” Wright said with a laugh.

Wright says that on Thursday, Aug. 22, she received another call and follow up texts on one 4×4 and four yard signs located at Bridge Rd. and Bernhowe Manor going missing. Wright also received a Monday, Aug. 19 video of an older male in a blue shirt and khaki shorts taking away Wright’s signage. She also detailed signage near Fireflies on Bennett’s Creek on a city median right of way off of Bridge Rd. going missing as well. On what both campaigns are doing moving forward, Duman says he and his campaign team have not filed a police report, but will do so if another incident occurs. Wright and her team are working on getting more signs to replace those that went missing. She further calls the situation, “unsportsmanlike.”

“Let others run their race and let the voters decide,” Wright said. “When you take signs, you’re taking hard-earned money from donors who are donating to my campaign for me to make these purchases, and it’s just really not a game. And it’s just, it’s just unfortunate.”

Wooldridge says that his campaign has also experienced political signs being taken from the property of residents.

“I find this frustrating and infuriating for two reasons: 1. The right to free speech is foundational in our nation and theft of signage violates that right,” Wooldridge said. “Regardless of your agreement with your neighbors displaying their support for a candidate or some other statement they are making, this is still America and they have every right to display and voice their opinions just as much as you would disagree with them.”

Wooldridge continued.

“2. Signage is private property and as such theft of it is a crime,” he said. “Suffolk has recently endured an uptick in violent crime and we are all outraged by it. Well, the bigger problems in our neighborhoods start within the heart of society. I believe the blatant disregard for the rule of law, even if it is seen as insignificant as stealing signs might appear to some, is symptomatic of the larger problems we are facing. If we don’t do the little things right how do we expect to do the bigger things correctly? We don’t all have to agree on everything but mutual respect for one another needs to be a priority to bring our community together.”

Fawcett says that he has not had issues with campaign signs disappearing due to his signs being “all on private property where I have been given permission to do so.”

Williams says that “as of yet” he has not had any problems with unauthorized campaign sign removals.

“However, the City did remove some of my signs that had been placed in the City’s right of way,” Williams said.

On the School Board Candidate side, Whaleyville Borough Candidate Sean McGee, Sleepy Hole Candidate Carly A. Bosco, Nansemond Borough Candidates Valerie Fields and James E. Shores and Incumbent Vice Chair Heather Howell of Sleepy Hole Borough each shared their individual experiences as well. McGee says his campaign has also been the target of signage theft.

“Citizens have reached out to me through social media, reporting that their yard signs, placed on their own private property, have been stolen. This has occurred in multiple areas, including the Whaleyville and Booker T. neighborhoods,” McGee said.

McGee notes that he has “15 large 4×8 signs and nearly 500 yard signs displayed across the Whaleyville Borough” that he credits to friends, neighbors and supporters of the campaign.

“These signs were funded by people who share my commitment to improving our schools, making them safe and secure, and holding our leaders accountable,” he said. “However, rather than being discouraged, I’m driven to work even harder. When I see a competitor’s sign in someone’s yard, it only pushes me to go door-to-door, speak with voters directly, and earn their trust and support.  Campaign signs aren’t just symbols, they’re a representation of the community’s backing for a vision of progress.  Each sign is a vote of confidence in our shared goals for Suffolk Public Schools.”

McGee expressed that political yard signs are a “fundamental part” of the democratic process and an exercise of free speech.

“I hope the thefts stop and that no other candidates have to face these disruptions,” he said. “Let’s keep this campaign focused on what really matters—bringing meaningful change to Suffolk Public Schools, for the sake of our kids and our future.”

Bosco also says she had “several signs” removed from where they were authorized to be.

“I stopped counting when I reached 20 that I knew of for sure that disappeared,” Bosco says. “It is frustrating given the signs are not inexpensive and supporters of my campaign donate their hard earned money that I try to spend responsibly! In four instances[,] the location where signs disappeared had signs for all the candidates that were there removed, in the rest of the cases either mine was the only sign there or only some certain candidate signs were removed while others remained. More than one location had my sign removed, I replaced it and it disappeared again!”

Bosco continued.

“It is disappointing that there are people who seem to prefer to stifle opposing candidates rather than letting the race be about candidate positions,” she said.

Fields says that her signs were placed on Hampton Roads Parkway in public space alongside Vice Mayor Lue Ward and Duman’s signs.

“My signs were removed,” Fields said. “Their signs were not removed from that area and are still there. I have no idea who removed my signs, why they were removed, nor where I can go to retrieve them.”

Shores says that he has not gotten “signs up yet” but will let us know if any issues will occur.

Howell says that she doesn’t believe any of her signs have been stolen.

“Signs along Harborview Blvd, Lee Farm Lane, and Bennett’s Pasture are missing, but I believe it’s due to mowing,” Howell said.

Incumbent Sheriff David Miles, who is running unopposed, says that currently he is “not aware of any campaign signs being removed.”

According to the Suffolk Police Department, theft of election signage with a value of $1000 or more is a felony. Anything less than $1000 is a misdemeanor. SPD also states that there have been no reports of election signage stealing.