NC House candidate resigns as Democratic county chair after arrest in campaign sign theft
A Democratic candidate for the N.C. House resigned as his local party chair Monday after being charged with removing political signs from a Moore County roadside.
State law makes it a crime to remove or steal campaign signs during an election period.
A Moore County sheriff’s deputy saw Lowell Simon, a 68-year-old candidate for House District 78, remove the signs while responding to a call in the West End area of Seven Lakes around 5:25 p.m. Thursday, according to a sheriff’s office Facebook post.
The deputy went to Simon’s house in West End on Friday and found the political signs in Simon’s vehicle, the post said. Simon admitted to removing the signs and was charged with two misdemeanor counts of larceny of political signs, the deputy reported.
He was released under a written promise to appear in court on Oct. 30, the post said. The signs were returned to their owner.
The Moore County Democratic Party announced Monday that Simon had resigned as its chairman following the arrest.
Monique Baker has been appointed the Moore County Democratic Party interim chair, the party said in a Facebook post on Monday.
“While we appreciate the hard work and dedication he has shown to the Democratic Party and the community, the Moore County Democratic Party cannot and will not condone the tampering of political signs or any other illegal activity,” the party said. “Mr. Simon has offered an apology for his actions, as well as his resignation, both of which have been accepted by the MCDP.”
This story was originally published October 12, 2024 at 9:33 AM.
