Endorsement: Michael Rein for McHenry County coroner

This article has been updated from the original to correct the first name of candidate Michael Rein.

The race for McHenry County coroner could become moot almost as soon as it ends, if county voters decide in a binding referendum to eliminate the elected office in favor a coroner chosen by a county board committee. But if voters reject that idea, they have two good alternatives for taking on the job.

The best, in our view, is Michael Rein, a Marine Corps veteran, chiropractor and former McHenry County Board member. Rein's experience gives him an exceptional vantage point from which to manage an office that has become unsettled and politicized. He understands the biological demands of the job, has experience with the county budgeting process and the leadership skills needed to assure reliability and efficiency.

He faces credible opposition from Libertarian Kelly Liebmann, a Greenwood Township trustee and former 911 dispatcher. Liebmann understands the office and has worked independently to draw the county board's attention to problems.

But Rein has the clear advantage in experience and knowledge. Even if voters decide the coroner should be chosen by committee rather than by them, Rein would be an excellent person for the job. He is endorsed.