Sheriff candidate debate tonight at BFHS

BONNERS FERRY — Boundary County sheriff’s candidates will debate tonight at the Bonners Ferry High School gym, starting at 6 p.m.

The event is organized by the Panhandle Republican Women, a local club that supports and promotes the Republican Party and its platform and educates voters about Republican candidates 

Candidates taking part in the debate are Dave Schuman, Jon VanGesen and Travis Stolley, who are all Republicans. 

Schuman is a Boundary County Sheriff’s deputy, a position he has held since 1999. He has also served for 20 years in the U.S. Army Military Police. 

VanGesen works at the Bonner County Sheriff's Office as Lieutenant of Professional Standards and oversees the operations of 911. He has worked in law enforcement in Washington state from 1991 to 2020. 

Stolley is a reserve officer at Boundary County Sheriff Office, and has previously been a detective at BCSO and at Bonners Ferry Police Department, reaching the rank of corporal and served as a patrol officer and school resource officer. He started his law enforcement career in 2014. 

"Doors open at 5 p.m. and  candidates will be speaking with voters before and after the debate," Elena Quinn, PRW President said. "That way if people have questions that aren’t asked at the debate they can ask the candidates themselves."

PRW meets on the third Wednesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at the Bonners Ferry Senior Center.