Central Committee of the Jefferson County Democrats
Completes Vetting Process for Sheriff Applicants

Following the resignation of Jefferson County Sheriff Joe Nole on January 3, 2025, the Central Committee of the Jefferson County Democrats was charged with the vetting  of applicants for Nole's replacement.  Pursuant to the state constitution, the Central Committee was tasked with providing the Board of County Commissioners (the "BoCC") with the names of three nominees from which to appoint an interim sheriff.  That appointment will be made within 60 days of Nole's resignation date.  In the interim, undersecretary Andy Pernsteiner has been named acting sheriff.  

The Central Committee, comprising Jefferson County Precinct Committee Officers, met its responsibility by promptly developing a detailed and thoughtful process.  Public notice and application information was circulated.  In addition to the requested submission documents, applicants completed a detailed questionnaire, and in-person interviews were conducted.  The Central Committee then reconvened for a final review and vote.  Each Central Committee meeting convened for this process was open to the public and details were made available in advance on the Jefferson County Democrats website, social media, and via newsletter.

Having now completed its process, the Central Committee is proud to announce the names of the three qualified nominees submitted to the BoCC, in alphabetical order by last name:  Brett Anglin, Art Frank, and Andy Pernsteiner.  

Nole’s appointed replacement will serve until an election is held in November 2025. The winner of that race will serve out the remainder of the current term. The position will then be on the ballot again in 2026.

For information regarding BoCC next steps, please refer to the Board of County Commissioners website HERE.  
Should you have any questions regarding this process, please feel free to contact us at info@jeffcodemocrats.com.

This was an uncommon circumstance that required a great deal of thoughtful consideration. I'm proud of the hard work and collaborative efforts the Central Committee showed in rising to this challenge. Kudos to the Vetting Sub-Committee members John Hamilton, Jean Ball, Linda Brewster, and Ruth Gordon for their excellent work preparing the applicant questionnaire and pre-prepared interview questions. My thanks to Ruth Gordon for her gracious moderating of the applicant interviews, and to the Central Committee members for their thoughtful conributions throughout. I also extend my thanks and congratulation to the nominees for their participation in this process.

Lora De La Portilla, Chair
Jefferson County Democrats and Central Committee