As the mid-term election campaign begins to heat up in Acadiana, candidate signs have become the first casualties of the ground war in St. Mary Parish. 

Blaise Smith reported Tuesday that a campaign sign he had placed at the intersection of Casey Street and Lee Charles Avenue was intentionally burned.

Smith, a candidate for St. Mary Parish Sheiff, says the sign was damaged the evening of Monday, June 25.

“It happened around 7 p.m. a passing motorist saw the sign engulfed and contacted police.” Smith said.  

Damage was also reported with some of his other candidate signs in the area. 

“8 were completely removed, others were torn and defaced with graffiti, some of it so derogatory I dare not repeat it.” Smith said.  

Other smaller signs, he said, were torn into little pieces or beaten with baseball bats. 

“I think this is said whoever is doing this. Its my constitutional right to seek whatever office I choose.  I would hope that the person doing this would come to their senses and just realize that im exercising my constitutional rights by seeking office.”  

Smith is seeking the office vacated by Sheriff Mark Hebert who, last October, announced that he was retiring after 34 years in office.

Chief Deputy Scott Anslum was appointed Interim Sheriff.   

According to Louisiana law, tampering with or stealing a political sign is a criminal act and punishable by law.  Anyone caught stealing campaign signs faces misdemeanor theft charges.  

Anyone caught vandalizing a sign faces criminal mischief charges.