The political season may have gotten off to a bad start in Woolwich.

It began last week when the town office received a complaint that David King Sr. had put out his political signs too early. King is seeking reelection to the board of selectman; he presently serves as its chairman.

Don Adams of Shaw Road is also running for the 3-year term. The contest will be decided at the Nov. 3 general election.

Lynette Eastman, town administrator, said political signs can be put out six weeks in advance of the election. She said King had asked beforehand at the town office when was the soonest he could set out his signs.

The first day that any political signs could be set out was Tuesday, Sept. 22. King said he set his signs out that morning. The following day, two of King’s red and white signs had disappeared, and one was broken.

“Regardless of how you feel about a candidate, or a political issue to be voted on, you do not have the right to destroy or remove a political sign,” Eastman said. She explained that it is a civil violation to tamper with or remove political signs. “You can be fined. Please be respectful and leave them alone,” she added.

King told the Wiscasset Newspaper he was kind of surprised someone would bother his signs.

“I’ve never had a problem with this happening before. Kids sometimes turn them upside down as a joke, but no one’s ever broken one, or taken them away,” he said.

The signs that went missing were at both ends of Shaw Road intersections and not on private property, he added. “In the 10 or 12 years I’ve been on the board of selectmen, I’ve always put signs out whether I’m running unopposed or have an opponent,” he said. He placed his signs at all the Route 1 intersections in town.

The signs serve to remind residents they have a local candidate on the ballot of the General Election, said King.

“I honestly don’t believe they sway people one way or another. I could put up a billboard, but if people don’t want to vote for me they’re not going to,” he added.

Reached for comment Monday, Adams said he’d heard about King’s signs being taken when someone had mentioned it to him at church.

“I don’t agree with anyone doing that. They’re his signs and he has a right to put them out regardless or whether or not you agree with him politically,” he said.

Adams said he personally is not planning to put out any political signs. “I’ll be going door-to-door, introducing myself and talking to people, telling them where I stand on the issues and listening to what they’ve got to say,” he said. “Some people in town know me from the (PAYT) petition, but others don’t. It’s a good way to meet people.”

Political signs can be placed at intersections, along roadsides and on street islands. Removing, defacing or tampering with a political sign is a civil violation. Anyone disturbing lawfully placed political signs runs the risk of a fine of up to $250.

The only person permitted to remove a political sign is the candidate or a person authorized by him or her, and/or their political committee. The same rule applies to signs for referendum, local or statewide.

An exception is political signs placed on private property. They must first have the property owner’s permission. The property owner, or an agent for the property owner, can ask to have the sign removed.