If you want a snapshot of where some of Kane County’s contested races stand heading into March 17, the League of Women Voters’ two candidate forums offered an illuminating view.

On February 5, the League hosted a forum at Batavia City Hall covering the contested race for Kane County Sheriff and two Kane County Board districts (11 and 13), with several candidates discussing staffing, budgets, public trust, mental health services, and the county’s long-term priorities.

This first forum centered on how the Kane County’s sheriff’s office should be run, how deputies should be supported, and what kind of leadership the office needs at a time when staffing, mental health calls, and public trust have all become major discussion points.