This is the second time their headquarters have been egged in this election cycle, they said — with the first coming late last week.

They don’t know who did it. They suspect it probably happened overnight Friday to Saturday. But they were all upset by it.

“This is a freedom of speech issue,” volunteer Colette Lafuente said.

Lafuente said they’ve notified the police, but they’re not sure if the egg-thrower will be caught. Mostly, she said she doesn’t want to see it happen again. Saranac Lake Police Chief Darin Perrotte said they are reviewing security camera footage, and if someone is caught they could face a disorderly conduct charge. He also said the police will increase their patrols of the area.

Early voting schedule for Franklin County (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

The eggs hit the glass in front of photos of former president and current Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, as well as North Country Rep. Elise Stefanik. The shells were on the sidewalk and the window ledge.

“Everybody’s got a right to their different political opinions,” volunteer Ray Scollin said as he cleaned the egg on a ladder. “I’ve been in politics since 1987, and I can never remember this happening. So we talk about a threat to democracy, where’s it coming from?”

Lafuente was in politics for 31 years downstate. She said lawn sign stealing has always been a problem, but egging was something new for her.

“Whoever it is is throwing their money away,” Lafuente said. “They threw away a dozen eggs … and how expensive they are?”

Volunteer Sandra Lessard called the egging “disgusting.”

“State your policies. Stand behind them. Go out and vote accordingly. Period,” she said. “You don’t need to go out and deface what we represent because we’re not defacing what your represent.”

Volunteer Rita Fitchett said they all have theories on who was behind it, but wanted to emphasize that they don’t think it was anyone from the progressive Adirondack Voters for Change headquarters just a few doors away down the road.

AVfC is a non-partisan, issues oriented organization with a focus on issues that Democratic candidates tend to represent.

AVfC volunteer Sue Abbott-Jones said they are upset by the egging. It’s not what they want to see in the political landscape and it’s not something to support or gloat over, even if they disagree politically.

She said their storefront, with photos and paintings of Democratic Vice President and presidential nominee Kamala Harris and NY-21 candidate Paula Collins, has not had any vandalism.

Abbott-Jones said that in the past, at AVfC demonstrations, there has been harassment, but it’s always the same vehicles.

Abbott-Jones felt the tone of the 2024 election season has been “meaner, way meaner.”

Her son is running for Essex County judge, and she said she’s seen the local toxic behavior trickle down to local elections.

Joy Cranker popped into the GOP headquarters on her way back from the Adirondack Voters for Change headquarters with Harris Walz merch.

“I’m sorry that happened to you. That’s wrong,” Cranker said.

The volunteers said they appreciated her saying that and Fitchett said it was encouraging to see.

“I would feel the same way if I saw that at the Harris thing,” David Tyldesley said.

People have also taped hand-written notes to the outside of the GOP headquarters’ large picture windows. They’ve put word bubbles of Trump saying “Immigrants are poisoning the blood of our country” — loosely quoting his “They’re poisoning the blood of our country” statement from a 2023 rally, along with a fictional word bubble of Stefanik saying “Ah, I love that quote! Who said it first?” referencing that Hitler wrote about “blood poisoning.”

“It’s very aggressive,” Fitchett said.

Other volunteers felt the notes are a form of intimidation — especially in light of the two assassination attempts on Trump in the past few months. In July, Thomas Crooks, 20, attempted to shoot Trump at a rally, hitting Trump’s ear and wounding him before being killed by snipers. Crooks was a registered Republican who donated $15 to the Democratic donation platform ActBlue when he was 17.

In September, Ryan Routh was arrested after he was discovered hiding with a rifle in the brush at a golf course where Trump was playing. Routh had supported Trump in 2016, but opposed him in 2020 and began to hate him, offering $150,000 to someone to assassinate him months before he was arrested.

There has also been a sign put out on the sidewalk on the corner of Woodruff near the GOP headquarters reading “Warning: fascism ahead on your right.”

Volunteers said this sign has come and gone.

Both Republican and AVfC volunteers said they are trying to not conflict with the other group on anything but policy, that they’re trying to present a united front of civility.

They’re both in same business — trying to get people to vote. Now, of course, they have different candidates and issues, but they said people from both groups have stopped in to talk to each other.

This election season, as politics in America are as divided as ever, the organizations selling signs for candidates are closer than ever — around 160 feet away from door-to-door. They’re visible from the sidewalk outside each headquarter.

Abbot-Jones said they are dealing with it in “the local North Country way.”

“Americans are used to competition. It made us better,” Abbot-Jones said.

At both headquarters, people can learn about how to vote, learn about the candidates and propositions on the ballot, buy lawn signs and other campaign merch, and discuss politics.

The Republican headquarters are open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The AVfC headquarters are open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.