It’s been a season of heated debate in the race for DeKalb County state’s attorney, but Democratic incumbent Ron Matekaitis is the clear victor.

As both Matekaitis and Republican candidate Clay Campbell said repeatedly at a closed meeting with the Northern Star editorial board Tuesday night, the election comes down to whether the people of DeKalb County want a trial lawyer or an administrator as their state’s attorney.

After listening to both candidates’ arguments, the Northern Star editorial board prefers the administrator. College students registered in DeKalb County should vote for Matekaitis.

During the past four years, the state’s attorney’s office has taken active efforts to educate college students and other young people about DUIs. Students may have seen the signs posted at the liquor stores that warn of the consequences of a DUI or other alcohol violations.

Matekaitis also was instrumental in campaigning last year for the expansion of the DeKalb County Jail, a position the Star editorial board supported then and continues to support today.

Campbell is opposed to building a larger jail, saying that he believes first in prevention, then working through the problem and finally incarceration as a last resort. Prevention is a great idea – but one that only impacts the future. Meanwhile, the county still needs to do something for the inmates right now – and Matekaitis recognizes that need.

Matekaitis has been criticized for his lack of felony trial experience, but the performance of the state’s attorney’s office under Matekaitis during the past four years speaks for itself. That is what matters to the public – not how many felony cases Matekaitis may have tried personally.

Campbell can emphasize the need for felony trial experience until he turns blue in the face, but Matekaitis’ previous experience in government, as the state’s attorney and as the DeKalb city attorney before that, takes precedence.

Campbell himself said that political affiliation doesn’t matter in this race, that the choice between administrator and trial lawyer is the ultimate decision voters have to make.

He’s right. And at the polls Nov. 2, Republican and Democrat college students alike should recognize that the administrator, Ron Matekaitis, is the best choice for state’s attorney.