Fulton County Sheriff's Department warns of political sign vandalism

FULTON COUNTY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Fulton County Sheriff's Department issued a warning on Monday regarding a recent increase in reports of vandalized political campaign signs. In a Facebook post, the department reminded residents of the rules and potential consequences surrounding campaign signs as election season heats up.

Sheriff Richard Giardino explained what is and isn’t allowed when it comes to displaying signs:

“If you have a political sign and want to put it on your property, that's fine. But if you want to put it on someone else’s property, you need to ask for their permission,” Giardino said.

Although signs placed on public road dividers can technically be removed, Giardino noted that the police generally don’t take action unless the signs obstruct traffic or create a safety hazard.

“If a sign is in the right-of-way—just a few feet from the road—village or town officials can remove it,” he added.

When it comes to signs placed on private property without permission, the sheriff pointed out that it’s a bit more complicated.

“There’s some debate about whether property owners have the right to throw out those signs, even if they’re placed without consent. There’s still the issue of the sign owner’s right not to have their property destroyed,” Giardino explained.

Some residents have seen the sheriff’s warning online, but many are not overly concerned about vandalism in their communities.

“We have a good neighborhood,” one resident said. “Everyone has cameras and watches out for each other, so hopefully it won’t happen here.”

Another resident mentioned seeing the reports on social media: “It’s all over Facebook and the news. That’s why I have a monitor up. I have the right to support the candidate I choose.”

According to the sheriff, anyone caught damaging political signs could face misdemeanor charges and a fine of up to $1,000.