Lewis County voters on Nov. 6 will choose someone to preside over their three countywide courts. The judicial race is for a 10-year term of county court judge, but the person occupying that office also presides over Family and Surrogate courts.

Two candidates are seeking the judgeship — Kevin M. McArdle on the Democratic and independent line and Daniel R. King, the nominee of the Republican, Conservative and Independence parties. The Times recommends Mr. McArdle, who can make a smooth transition given his extensive experience in all three courts from his nearly two decades serving previous county judges.

Mr. McArdle, a graduate of St. John Fisher College and Albany Law School, served for two years as confidential law clerk to Supreme Court Justice J. Robert Lynch before joining Attorney Michael F. Lynch in private practice in 1984. Two years later, Mr. McArdle opened his own practice, during which he served as municipal attorney for several Lewis County villages and towns.

County Judge John S. Parker hired Mr. McArdle as his part-time confidential clerk in 1986, and he continued in that position under Mr. Parker’s successor, Nathaniel B. Merrell, before Mr. McArdle was appointed county attorney in 1994 representing Lewis County on legal matters and prosecuting juvenile delinquents and PINS cases. Since 2003, Mr. McArdle has served as principal court attorney to Judge Charles Merrell, first advising him on matters in county, Surrogate and Family courts and now in Judge Merrell’s position as Supreme Court justice since the first of the year.

Mr. McArdle has been active in county and state bar associations and in the community as a member of the Elks, St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Little League and youth soccer and Oneida-Lewis County ARC. The Times recommends Kevin M. McArdle for Lewis County judge.

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