It's not hard to overlook a district judge race due to its nonpartisan nature and the fact the candidates don't declare platforms similar to other political candidates because they are to remain objective in their roles as judges.

There is indeed an area district judge race this Nov. 4, as a seat in the Northwest Judicial District 5 is being contested by incumbent David W. Nelson, 57, Williston, and Jeffrey L. Sheets, 45, of rural Minot, a criminal defense lawyer in Minot.

Nelson, who was first elected to the position in 1994, is confident he's the better candidate because of his experience.

"This is my job, this is my career. For the last 14 years I've had this job; it's my expectation to do this until I retire," Nelson said.

Nelson is a 1969 graduate of Williston High School and earned his juris doctorate in 1981 from University of North Dakota School of Law. His experience includes being on assignment for seven cases in the North Dakota Supreme Court, being municipal court judge in Williston from 1986-1994 and having a private practice in Williston from 1981-1994. Sheets is running for the judgeship because he believes in the rights of criminal defendants.

"I'm running for judge because I'm a strong, strong believer in constitutional rights for criminal defendants, which is why I've been doing criminal defense law for years, and I think that's something that is much needed on the bench and also in civil matters," Sheets said.

Sheets is a 1981 graduate of Powers Lake High School and earned his juris doctorate in 1992 from University of North Dakota School of Law. He's been a trial lawyer for 16 years.

Nelson also points to the fact he received better judicial ratings and that he lives in Williston as reasons he's more qualified to retain his position as district judge.

The State Bar Association of North Dakota mailed evaluations to attorneys in the state, asking them to rate the qualifications of each judicial candidate. This is done before each election when there's a judge's race.

Four hundred attorneys returned evaluations, the state bar's Web site states, and Nelson fared better than his opponent. The rating system is on a scale of 1-5, with 5 being the highest mark.

Nelson received a 3.91 for professional competence (2.36 for Sheets), 4.0 in legal experience (2.62 for Sheets), 3.98 for judicial temperament (2.59 for Sheets), 4.33 for integrity (2.74 for Sheets) and a 4.04 for overall qualification (2.44 for Sheets).

The judicial evaluation results, however, don't phase Sheets.

"I feel like 80 percent of the people who receive them (judicial evaluations) in the mail take them and throw them in the garbage. Eighty percent of the people that respond to them are judges and state's attorneys," Sheets said.

"I'm a criminal defense lawyer in Minot. Judges and state's attorneys are, just by human nature, going to give another judge higher marks than they are somebody who practices criminal defense work, who does trial work," Sheets added.

Although Northwest District No. 5 covers six counties -- Williams, Divide, Burke, Mountrail, Ward and McKenzie -- Nelson is chambered in Williston and thus handles all matters in Williams County along with another judge.

"One of the reasons I'm good at what I do is because I live here," Nelson said.

Sheets said he knows he'd be required to move to Williston if he's elected judge, and he has no problem doing so. His brother lives in Williston and his mother is a resident of Arnegard. Sheets said he and his family would like to end up in the Williston area.

There are six district judges in the northwest district -- four of the judges are chambered in Minot and two are chambered in Williston. Thus, residents of Ward County also are voting for the District No. 5 judge. District judges oversee all types of cases, including civil, criminal, juvenile, adoption and domestic cases.

Nelson and wife Sherri have two children. Sheets and wife Leigh have five children.