ELLSWORTH – It’s fall.

The air is crisp and the political skies in Hancock County should remain clear of the clouds of campaign controversy during the final month or so before the Nov. 2 election.

Indeed, the two people who lead the county’s two major political parties have agreed to be civil – and legal.

That means no sign stealing, no mischief and lots of First Amendment respect.

“I would hope that this could be effective and reel in some people determined to create chaos in the campaign,” said county Republican chairman David Lind.

Calling their agreement a “remarkable display of political cooperation,” Lind and Democratic chairman John Knutson said this week that they want the campaign to be free of some of the negativity that has crept into electioneering of late.

The real goal of the agreement, given the high level of emotions and acrimony displayed in the national campaign, is to encourage people in both parties to engage in a campaign that respects individual rights and focuses on the issues, according to Knutson.

“We’re really quite pleased to perhaps be a calming influence to what we’re seeing in the national campaign,” he said.

The two county party leaders noted that they have agreed to urge their members to refrain from engaging in “negative campaign tactics such as removing lawn and road signs, tearing bumper stickers off cars or otherwise interfering with legal expression of the First Amendment.”

Essentially, they have encouraged their members to obey state law.

The two leaders, however, may be preaching to the choir.

Both agreed that nonparty members cause much of the damage. That’s also the assessment of District Attorney Michael Povich, who said the damage to political signs generally does not appear to be ideologically motivated. “In most cases, it’s just somebody who doesn’t like” the candidate, he said.

Povich said tampering with political signs is illegal in Maine. The civil crime is punishable by a fine of up to $250, but, depending on the value of the signs damaged or stolen, it can be upgraded to a criminal charge of theft or criminal mischief, he said.

Povich has not prosecuted any cases in recent years, mainly, he said, because the deeds are done at night when nobody is around.