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Josh Brokaw announced Wednesday that he will challenge Ken Lansing and Derek Osbourne in November's Tompkins County Sheriff election. Brokaw, an independent Ithaca-based reporter turned in over 1,450 signatures from Tompkins County voters to the Board of Elections on Tuesday, August 21. Brokaw will appear on the general election ballot as a candidate for Tompkins County sheriff on November 6 on the 'TruthSayers' line.

"I found out by talking to hundreds of people that many voters are surprised to hear that anyone can run for sheriff, or are unclear on the responsibilities of the sheriff's office," Brokaw said. "We live in a time when many people are afraid of police officers in this country, and it seems some officers are afraid of the people they are supposed to serve. Elections for offices like sheriff are excellent opportunities for us to have a no-holds-barred conversation about how our police operate and how we can make the Tompkins County Jail a safer and more humane institution, among many other pressing subjects. With only two career law enforcement officers in the race before I entered, it didn't seem like we were going to have that sort of conversation this fall. That's why I entered the race, beyond the basic need to ensure a choice for the people in November."

Brokaw is the founder and editor of independent news site TruthSayers.org and a former Ithaca Times reporter. Brokaw's campaign collected the signatures along with help from several volunteers over a six-week period starting in mid-July. The campaign collected signatures from voters at the GrassRoots Festival of Music and Dance, at summer concerts in Newfield, Ellis Hollow, Dryden, and downtown Ithaca, and at farmers' markets in Ithaca and Trumansburg, among other popular hangout spots.

Ken Lansing is running for a third term on both the Democratic and Independence party lines, and is opposed in the September 13 Democratic primary by former undersheriff Derek Osborne. Brokaw says a minimum of 1,299 signatures was required for a countywide independent candidate, far more than are required to appear as a candidate on any party line.

"We always need to be questioning our presumptions and listening to the people with true compassion and understanding. As a journalist, those are traits I can bring to the sheriff's office," Brokaw said. "Above all, our focus should be on keeping the peace and consistently acting as servants of the people."

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