LOYAL. LOCAL. COMPLETE.
Residents of Edgar County will have an opportunity to hear directly from those seeking the office of Edgar County sheriff at an upcoming debate. The forum, hosted by local organizers including The Prairie Press, Pearman Pharmacy, The Old Glass Shop, The Paris Clinic Pharmacy and J & B Pallets, will be held at 6 p.m. on Jan. 10, at the Paris Center of Fine Arts. Doors to the free event will open at 5:30 p.m.
The event will also be live-streamed on The Prairie Press’ social media pages.
The goal of the evening is simple: to provide a respectful, structured space where voters can learn more about the individuals who hope to represent them as the county’s chief law enforcement officer.
The debate will be moderated by Jesse Lewsader, who will guide the discussion and ensure each candidate has equal time to speak. Lewsader’s background in law enforcement, operations management and career as a multi-sports referee provides him with a unique set of skills for hosting and ensuring that each candidate’s opinion is equally represented. And, while he has a vested interest in the county, Lewsader is not a resident of Edgar County and cannot vote for any candidate.
“This debate, as a whole, is an opportunity for the public to come out here and make an informed decision if they wish to participate in the election and cast their votes,” Lewsader explained. “It’s a forum where tough questions are going to be asked and answered, and it’s an opportunity to provide some insight to the inner workings of the sheriff’s office.”
Lewsader and a slew of local volunteers, including students and community members, will assist in making the evening run smoothly. Residents will also be able to assist in gathering questions for the candidates, both before and during the event.
Lewsader stressed that while the debate will cover “each division of the sheriff’s office,” no questions will be revealed to any of the candidates before the event and online submission points for questions will remain open during the three hours scheduled for the debate.
“It is all in the interest of impartiality and fairness to the candidates, and to the residents,” he explained. “The questions that will be asked as part of this debate are going to involve every essential function within a sheriff’s office.”
He encouraged residents to get involved in whatever way they can, whether it is attending the event in person or watching the live-stream, asking questions or delving into the topics that directly impact their community.
“This election directly impacts everyone’s safety,” Lewsader emphasized. “The person who is elected is going to oversee the department; they are charged with responding to your biggest emergencies, your car crashes, the people that break into your home, that person’s responsible for overseeing the brand new jail … he’s gonna be the man in charge of it.”
“It’s important to come out, to educate yourself and to feel informed. It’s all in the spirit of making an informed decision when you go to the ballot box,” he added.
Thanks to community support, the event is free for all members of the public and organizers encourage everyone, especially residents of Edgar County, to attend.
“Everything we are doing is in the interest of honesty and transparency,” Lewsader said. “Any debate should be uncomfortable, and no one running for an office that so directly impacts a community should come in and not expect to be asked difficult questions … This is a job that carries alot of pressure.”
For those interested in submitting a question prior to the event, a QR code is attached to this article. Questions can also be submitted using the link on The Prairie Press’ Facebook event page.