The Hamilton County Democratic Party said campaign signs for a local candidate have been repeatedly vandalized in an attempt to "deface, intimidate, and degrade" a Black female candidate the weekend of Sept. 20.
Elizabeth Tye is a Democrat and attorney challenging incumbent Republican Hamilton County Probate Court Judge Ralph Winkler.
Hamilton County Democratic Party Chair Alex Linser called the vandalism a "coordinated attack" in a fundraising email.
"Black paint has been sprayed directly over Elizabeth’s face, defacing the image of a Black woman running for Probate Court Judge," Linser said. "We don’t know who is responsible. But we know exactly what it looks like, and we know it is unacceptable."
Tye did not immediately respond to a call from
The Enquirer.
Republican Winkler denounces vandalism
Winkler, Tye's opponent, told The Enquirer the vandalism is "upsetting."
"It's happened to me before too and I hope they catch the person who did it," he said.
Linser said there is always some amount of sign stealing during political campaigns in his experience but "nothing like this" in terms of spray paint. He said the vandalism occurred largely in people's yards.
He was not sure if a police report has been filed. An Enquirer search of the Hamilton County Clerk of Courts records did not find a relevant case under vandalism, criminal mischief or criminal damaging.
Quinlan Bentley contributed reporting.
Regional politics reporter Erin Glynn can be reached at eglynn@enquirer.com, @ee_glynn on X and @eringlynn on Bluesky.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Democrats say Black candidate's signs defaced in 'coordinated attack'
