LEWISTON – Hundreds of red “Yes on 1” campaign signs were stolen Tuesday night throughout much of Maine, according to Paul Madore of Lewiston. Madore heads one of three Christian groups working to reject a Maine law that bans discrimination against gays.

Madore complained Wednesday that he heard from “Yes on 1” supporters in six counties, including Franklin, Oxford, Androscoggin, who are requesting replacement signs.

An estimated 10,000 “Yes on 1” signs were set up Tuesday. “Hundreds and hundreds were cleaned out overnight,” Madore said. Often the signs were torn and left on the ground. The wooden stakes were taken, Madore said.

Lewiston police reported Wednesday they had not received any complaints of sign vandalism. Signs have not yet been put out in Lewiston, Madore said.

Various groups and individuals from other areas are reporting the crime to police, Madore said, but added there’s not a lot that can be done. The other side has few signs out, “so we can’t take out theirs,” Madore said.

Wilton Police Chief Wayne J. Gallant said his department is investigating complaints of “Yes on 1” sign vandalism in his town. Such complaints are typical in controversial elections, Gallant said. Vandalizing campaign signs is a civil offense with a potential $250 fine, Gallant said.

Nicole Clegg of the Maine Won’t Discriminate campaign said Wednesday that the Lewiston-Auburn office had also had problems with sign vandalism. “We’ve found our signs pulled out, and Yes signs were put there.” They made no reports to police, she said.

Sign vandalism “is a sad reality of campaigns,” Clegg said. “People get emotional and act with their hearts, not their heads.”

– Bonnie Washuk