PORT HADLOCK — A campaign sign mystery has popped up in the Jefferson County commissioners race between incumbent David Sullivan and challenger Sandy Hershelman, with both candidates disavowing the source of the negative message directed at Hershelman.

Showing a bulldozer knocking down a large tree, the yellow, green and black signs say: “Developers for Hershelman (I) for County Commissioner.”

Both Hershelman, running as an independent, and Sullivan, a Democrat, disavowed the signs.

“Politics are nasty and it shouldn’t be, and that’s sad,” said Hershelman, who went to her Port Hadlock campaign headquarters on Hadlock Road near QFC to find that three of the signs were left at the doorstep.

“The signs are putting down a lot of good men and women who are putting roofs over the heads of people, including the sign people.

“The big thing is, they are not mine.”

Hershelman said she was amused when she was told about the signs.

“I laughed so hard, the irony, I was working on a $120,000 Department of Ecology grant application for Built Green when the call came in,” said Hershelman, who is executive officer of the Jefferson Homebuilders Association.

Hershelman said she would contact the state Public Disclosure Commissioner about the signs.

Lori Anderson, PDC communications officer, said the signs were too small to require identification of sponsorship.

Sullivan: Not mine

Contacted Thursday, Sullivan, who seeks a second four-year term, said, “I haven’t seen them, and our campaign has nothing to do with them.

“Sign drama happens every campaign season.”

He said many of his signs have been removed, never to be seen again, “and it happens every campaign season.”

He called it “rude” for people to put up signs in county rights-of-way or on private property without permission.

“I’ve really tried to keep it a campaign that focuses on the issues,” he said.

“We need to have some restraint, because we all have to work together when it’s over.”

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Port Townsend-Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com