MOUNT DESERT ISLAND — Election night here was marred by the discovery Wednesday morning of effigies depicting a black man found hanging from telephone lines in Tremont and Bar Harbor.

The cardboard effigies, which some officials believe are a response to the election of Barack Obama as president, were removed Wednesday morning.

Maine State Police received a report at 12:30 a.m. Wednesday that a cutout figure of a black man was hanging from telephone lines near Seal Cove Pond in Tremont. Trooper Alden Bustard responded but was unable to remove the figure because it was too high off the ground. Fire chief Brad Reed agreed to use a fire truck to take the figure down.

In Bar Harbor, a similar cutout figure was found hanging from telephone lines near the intersection of Route 102 and the south end of the County Road. A Bar Harbor fire truck was used to remove the effigy.

Hancock County District Attorney Michael Povich said the person or persons responsible could be subject to a civil action and criminal charges.

“At a minimum they could be charged with disorderly conduct,” he said.

In criminal cases, the aspect of a hate crime could be considered an aggravating factor during sentencing, Mr. Povich noted.