Multiple candidates in Stratford's municipal election have reported recent sign tampering and some of them are noticing a rise in frequency.
Although most believe that the vandalism is not done for political reasons, candidates said it may have consequences on the city and its future government. Signs are one of the ways that candidates can get their name out to the voting public.
“Candidates spend a lot of time, energy, and money on signs,” candidate Harj Nijjar told StratfordToday. “I understand not everyone agrees with elections and signs, however, these sorts of acts do not benefit anyone.”
A few candidates also noted the financial toll this has taken. Candidate Ryan Doyle said that he was only able to put up 12 signs across the city, so to have some stolen or moved is a huge loss.
Daniel Nedecki, also running for city council, shared a similar sentiment.
“As someone who is fully self-funding their campaign, this type of theft and property damage takes an additional toll on the ability to be effective with limited resources.”
Tom Drake said it affects property owners as well. He reported one instance in which a sign was moved to another property whose owner did not agree to have a sign. Drake’s campaign picked up the sign, but there was a misunderstanding regarding who put it there in the first place.
Police don’t believe the incidents are targeted acts. Stratford Police Const. Darren Fisher, community resource and media relations officer, told StratfordToday there have been twelve incidents reported to police. He corroborated that there has been an uptick in frequency.
Const. Fisher also noted that it appears the stolen signs were targeted for their metal stakes, possibly to be sold as scrap metal.
Stratford Police Service is urging the public to report any instances of tampering. The more the police know, the more targeted their patrols can be. Any citizen that notes suspicious behaviour should report that activity to the police.
Voting in the municipal election for the city's mayor and 10 city council spots started last week and concludes on Monday, Oct. 24.
