Ontario Provincial Police are on the lookout for a small grey older model hatchback after someone mowed down at least 10 Liberal campaign lawn signs by driving into yards along Balmy Beach Road.

John Hull of Balmy Beach Road in Georgian Bluffs says he called police Saturday morning after finding tire tracks across his yard and his Michael Den Tandt Liberal lawn sign smashed and bent.

At least nine other signs along the same section of the beach road had also been overrun. At one home, the tire tracks passed on the property side of the family mailbox in order to hit their lawn sign.

The narrow, five-foot width of the tire tracks indicates a smaller vehicle, and Hull said a small grey hatchback had been seen driving erratically in the neighbourhood.

“There is no place for sign vandalism in an election campaign,” Liberal candidate Michael Den Tandt said in a news release.

“However the reckless behaviour of this driver goes well beyond the typical juvenile and self-defeating partisanship of sign vandals. This is dangerous behaviour and must be stopped.”

Den Tandt said he is aware of Liberal supporters who have told campaign workers they won’t take a sign due to feeling intimidated, or concerned about personal property damage.

“I am all for a contest of ideas in this election. The people of Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound deserve an opportunity to assess all their voting options,” said Den Tandt.

“But there is no place for vandalism and intimidation in our democratic process.”

Hull says the investigating OPP officer told him that police will be extra alert Saturday and Sunday night for increased vandalism in advance of Monday's election day.

The Den Tandt campaign is asking anyone who may have witnessed the sign carnage on Balmy Beach Road, or who has experienced similar drive-by vandalism, to call local law enforcement.

source: media release