By Matt Sepic, KWMU
St. Louis, MO. – Voters in St. Charles County will choose a new county executive on Tuesday.
Incumbent Republican Joe Ortwerth is stepping down after 12 years on the job to devote himself full-time to his church.
Two men are running to be his successor- Democrat Jim Rutherford and Republican Steve Ehlmann.
Ehlmann is a former judge and state legislator, and serves as the county's director of administration.
Ehlmann says road improvement is a big issue for St. Charles County; so is improving the image of county government.
"In the last year or so, we've had a problem in the county with the level of debate and the lack of civility in the political debate out here," Ehlmann said. "If it gets to the point where its so negative and so personal, you're not going to want to have good people even be involved."
Democrat Jim Rutherford is new to politics, and works for a building restoration company.