The League of Women Voters of McHenry County hosted the last judicial candidate forum for this primary season Monday evening at McHenry County College. The judicial panel was joined by 3rd SubCircuit of the 22nd Judicial Circuit candidates Jeannie Ridings, Justin Hansen, Mary McClellan and Donald Brewer; 4th SubCircuit judicial candidates Kimberly Crum Kline and Mark Gerhardt; and Circuit Court judge candidates Beth Vonau and David Gervaise. The goal of the forum, Catherine Williams, president of LWV in McHenry, said was to educate the public to make informed decisions about their votes for the nonpartisan judicial candidates. Williams asked candidates about their administrative strengths, their vision for the future of the judicial system, an instance of an ethical dilemma, whether the composition of juries adequately and fairly represents the society at large, and how they will ensure all citizens have access and help to the legal system. Regarding their vision for the future of the judicial system, some candidates discussed allowing cameras and more media access in courtrooms. “It allows us greater transparency within the government because I am a constitutional conservative, and I believe that we should always be held accountable for what we do,” McClellan said. Aside from echoing McClellan and other candidates on having “cameras in every corner of the courtroom,” Ridings said the need for courts to evolve to handle specific problems in McHenry county such as the opioid epidemic, poverty and access to court systems. “We need to continue to work on access to justice, helping self-represented litigants navigating the court system, you need to work on the cost of legal services,” she said.