Establishing a well-run and communicative Kane County Coroner’s Office will be among the most important tasks that the successful candidate in the November election will face, after former coroner Chuck West – now deceased – had been charged with official misconduct. Democrat Tao Martinez and Republican Rob Russell both say they understand that. And while both are capable of restoring dignity to the office, we think Russell has the edge. Russell, a sergeant in the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office, vows to be a full-time coroner and resign from his position with the sheriff’s office. He has a plan to professionalize the coroner’s office through accreditation. He already has proven he has class, emerging from a hotly contested primary race with his dignity intact. Russell believes the position of coroner is mainly a law-enforcement position. That can be debated, but the skills Russell has learned while working for the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office would serve him well if he were elected coroner. Martinez touts himself as a “skilled death scene specialist.” He founded a company that helps provide cleanup services after death. He has relevant experience, too. But Russell’s 24/7 commitment makes a big difference.