Except in the county, the newcomer is a Republican, Steve DeBry, challenging an established Democrat, Randy Horiuchi.

DeBry argues Horiuchi's lengthy tenure in county government - eight years as a commissioner and another eight as a councilman - makes the incumbent susceptible to favoring special interests.

"I'll only be beholden to one group of people," DeBry says, "that's the citizens."

The Sheriff's Office captain supports term limits on council positions: two terms for six-year slots and three terms for four-year seats. The countywide at-large post is six years.

Horiuchi says longevity would be a fair criticism if he were a "fuddy-duddy," dozing off at meetings - although he does say this will be his last term.

"I'm still active. I'm still after it," Horiuchi says. Experience "is an advantage."

He points to a looming "budget crisis" as a place where his fiscal experience will come into play. He also says council members need a "breadth" of knowledge because the county deals with a vast array of issues from libraries to tourism to open space.

Horiuchi, co-founder of a small-business finance company, dubs DeBry a "one-note Johnny" who talks a lot about law enforcement but has few ideas on other issues.

DeBry calls that label "erroneous."

"If you look at my campaign literature, growth is the No. 1 concern," he says, noting the county will need to manage a west-bench-population boom.

"We need to look at transportation needs . . . open-space issues, environment, air [quality], economic development."

DeBry acknowledges public safety is his "forte," since he has spent close to 28 years with the Sheriff's Office.

He backs intervention and preventive programs to help curb crime and reduce drug abuse. And he would like to see a collaborative approach between cities and the county to police the Jordan River Parkway, keeping the trail safe so residents are more likely to use it.

Both candidates want to see the Oxbow Jail in South Salt Lake reopened to ease the space crunch at the nearby Adult Detention Center. And both back creation of a Unified Police District - which would function similarly to the Unified Fire Authority - serving unincorporated areas and cities that contract for county sheriff's services.

Horiuchi suggests additional services could be provided countywide. For instance, cities and the county could band together for garbage collection and road maintenance.

"We really could find economies of scale," he says.

Both candidates say they support the arts and would like to see a mega-Broadway-style theater in Salt Lake County - but they're neutral on whether it should be in downtown Salt Lake City or Sandy.

Wherever it goes, Horiuchi says, the county needs to manage it.

"If we don't," he adds, "we put all of the other art groups in danger."

Horiuchi would like the state to eliminate its sunset on townships. DeBry also supports townships and wants the county to give as much weight to a community council as to a city mayor when petitioned for projects.

Despite their similarities on many issues, Horiuchi insists it's crucial this year to switch the council to a Democratic majority. The current 5-4 GOP majority has defeated domestic-partner benefits for county employees and nearly stopped bond proposals for overhauls at Hogle Zoo and Tracy Aviary from getting on the fall ballot. Those measures survived after the zoo and aviary were required to raise private money to get the public cash.

DeBry counters it's time to clean out "dead wood" from the council to keep the system "healthy."

Voters will decide Nov. 4 whether it's time for change on the County Council.

rwinters@sltrib.com

Steve DeBry

* Age: 49.

* Party: Republican.

* Family: Wife, Lorraine; three children, Josh, 27, Tyler, 24, Megan, 20, and three granddaughters.

* Occupation: Captain in the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office.

* Education: Bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Utah; two associate degrees from Salt Lake Community College; graduated from the FBI National Academy.

* Civic/career experience: Has served in the Sheriff's Office for nearly 28 years, including eight years as chief of Holladay's police services; is a Boy Scout merit-badge counselor and a youth football and baseball coach.

* Fun fact: He ran the Salt Lake City Marathon in 2005, without stopping, and doubts he'll ever do it again.

Randy Horiuchi

* Age: 54.

* Party: Democrat.

* Family: Wife, Frances McConaughy; two children, Madeline, 9, and Andrew Stoeckl, 29.

* Education: Bachelor's degree in journalism and a teaching credential from the University of Utah.

* Occupation: Vice president of business development for MountainWest Small Business Finance.

* Civic/career experience: Salt Lake County commissioner from 1991 to 1999 and county councilman from 2001 to present; has served on boards for the Unified Fire Authority, Salt Lake County Library Services and Intermountain Healthcare; a former president of the Japanese-American Citizens League's Salt Lake chapter.

* Fun fact: He has been in the same fantasy football league for 32 years.