One of the standout local races is the contest for Henrico commonwealth’s attorney, where the winner is certain to be a woman.

Once again in a tough election fight, incumbent Democrat Shannon L. Taylor is vying for a third, four-year term as the county’s top prosecutor.

Standing in her way is Republican C. (for Catherine) Owen Inge Conway, a criminal defense attorney and a former assistant commonwealth’s attorney in Henrico who was among seven veterans Ms. Taylor fired after she was first elected in 2011.

Both women are graduates of the University of Richmond Law School, and both have had substantial legal careers.

A lawyer since 1995, Ms. Taylor’s résumé includes service as an assistant commonwealth’s attorney in Richmond, as a special assistant U.S. attorney and as special counsel for the Richmond Multi-Jurisdictional Grand Jury.

Ms. Conway’s résumé includes 20 years as an assistant commonwealth’s attorney in Henrico and two other jurisdictions and service as an assistant attorney general and as a defense attorney for the Henrico Drug Court.

While Ms. Taylor has amassed a bigger campaign war chest than her opponent, Ms. Conway has captured some surprising endorsements, including one from the Democratic-leaning Richmond Crusade for Voters and one from the Henrico County Fraternal Order of Police.

On her campaign website, Ms. Taylor is described as prioritizing “compassionate, effective, progressive policies to move Henrico forward and keep the community safe while stressing a rehabilitative mindset.”

Ms. Conway points to the turnover of nearly 30 lawyers on the commonwealth’s attorney’s staff in the eight years that Ms. Taylor has been in charge as a need for change.

One of the key issues that divides the two candidates is a proposed 290-bed expansion of the county jail sought by retiring Henrico Sheriff Michael Wade to relieve overcrowding.

Sheriff Wade is so short of bed space that dozens of inmates in the Jail West on Parham Road nightly sleep on mattresses on the floor.

Ms. Taylor has opposed that expansion in following the lead of the current chairman of the Henrico Board of Supervisors, Democrat Tyrone Nelson, Also a church pastor, Rev. Nelson has said that as an African-American leader, he can- not support a jail expansion and believes there are other ways to reduce the jail population.

“I stand with Supervisor Nelson and the Recovery Community,” Ms. Taylor stated. “We need to be investing in alternatives to incarceration, not just build more prison cells to lock more people up. I want to invest in programs that help people, both inside and outside the jail.”

Ms. Conway, though, supports expanding the jail so that inmates who serve on weekends or qualify for work release would be separated from regular inmates. The new building also would have separate space for men and women.

As envisioned by Sheriff Wade, the building would include a mental health section where counselors from the county could meet with inmates, who now must be transported to Henrico Mental Health.

Another key issue has to do with the bonding of people who are awaiting trial, which appears to

be a major contributor to the overcrowding. Asked about her bail policy, Ms. Taylor said she, like other commonwealth’s attorneys in the area, has sought to end cash bond for nonviolent

offenders with ties to the community.

But the county has not embraced release without having to put up a cash bond, according to court records and Sheriff Wade.

“In Henrico County, my assistants follow the law and the factors to be considered when recommending to the judge that an individual be either released or held with no bond,” Ms. Taylor stated. “My assistants do not get involved in cash bonds. Cash bonds are left solely up to the court.”

Ms. Conway said that assistant common- wealth’s attorneys regularly recommend “no bond” even when individuals could qualify for release.

She said that she would work with the police department, the judiciary, county officials and other organizations to consider options in this area.

“That is something my opponent has not done,” Ms. Conway said, but “it is definitely needed.”

Candidate profiles:

Voters should support me for Henrico Commonwealth’s Attorney because: Voters should support me for Henrico Com- monwealth’s Attorney because I will bring positive change to Henrico by being present and accountable. I will stop the arbitrary prosecution of crimes and bring stability and order to the office. I will rebuild the fractured relationship with the police department and communicate with victims and witnesses effectively to ensure the most just outcomes in the courtroom. I will make sure my assistants are well trained and have the knowledge, skills and trust to make difficult decisions in the courtroom, which impact lives of victims, families and defendants.

What do you see as the top two issues facing the commonwealth’s attorney’s office? The jails in Henrico are currently the most overcrowded they have ever been, resulting in extreme safety risk and a significant cost to the citizens. There are not enough affordable and accessible programs for defendants with addiction and mental health issues. These issues cannot be ad- dressed when the commonwealth’s attorney’s office has a severe lack of leadership, is a revolving door of employees and when the current commonwealth’s attorney cares more about her political future than Henrico County.

How I plan to address those issues: Without higher political ambition, I can focus on Henrico. I will return the office to a non- partisan office of integrity, transparency and cohesion, focusing on safety in Henrico. With better leadership, I will build trust within the office, creating an environment where employees will stay, as they did prior to my opponent taking office. My assistants will be prepared, thereby reducing unnecessary continuances that add to the abysmal jail situation. I will work with police and the sheriff to solve the overcrowded jail issue and advocate for treatment options for addiction and mental health.

Voters should support me for Henrico Commonwealth’s Attorney because: I ask for voters’ support for my re-election because Henrico is safer. During my terms in office, crime rates have fallen and continue to fall, particularly violent crime. I have made sure we have as safe a community as possible, but have done that in a compassionate, progressive way — investing in addiction and mental health services, providing anti-bullying and social media programs for our schools and using alternatives to incarceration.

What do you see as the top two issues facing the commonwealth’s attorney’s office? My first responsibility will always be to keep our community safe. In the years I have served, new dangers have arisen, such as human trafficking and increased addiction problems. However, we need to fight crime in a way that keeps people safe and serves and helps the community. I work closely with recovery organizations to ensure those with addiction issues get the help they need. I also partner with mental health programs. We need to make sure we are helping people, not just locking them up. My goal is to have a safe community and to help people become productive citizens.

How I plan to address those issues: With my re-election, I will continue to prioritize compassionate and caring prosecution, which keeps truly dangerous people off the streets and works to get folks the help they need. I will continue to spend significant time in Henrico schools and out in the community to help our young people avoid trouble and to work with the community on their concerns.