County sheriff is among the most important local political positions up for grabs in next month’s primary election.

Four men are vying for the job. Each brings a unique set of professional and life experiences, but how are voters to discern which candidate is the best to lead the top law office in the county?

The best way is to become as educated as possible about the role of sheriff and then the four candidates.

Today, we begin a series of question and answer articles aimed to providing readers with a little more information about many of the candidates on the Aug. 4 ballot. The focus today is the sheriff’s candidates.

As the top law enforcement officer in the county, the sheriff handles a number of extremely important roles from leading a large team of professional law enforcement personnel that patrols county roads and investigates crimes to managing the county’s jail.

The position of sheriff is an interesting one. The person who fills the role needs to be a combination of a politician, businessman, lawman and manager.

Voters often struggle to grasp the importance of trying to look beyond just the candidate’s personality and delve into his or her qualities and characteristics.

Managing people will be the most difficult task facing a sheriff’s candidate.

The sheriff’s role is an important one that holds great power over the safety and property of the county. We urge voters to get involved, get informed and learn as much information as possible before casting a vote next month.