With elections underway, Jackson County is seeking its next county coroner. Two candidates are running for the position: Amy Wilson-Dallas and Kent Arnold.
The job of the county coroner is to investigate deaths which are, according to the Jackson County website, “suspicious, mysterious or otherwise unexplained” when it is determined that the circumstances of the death can only be determined by autopsy. The current coroner, Thomas Kupferer, has chosen not to seek reelection.
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Wilson-Dallas, a Democrat, is the current chief deputy coroner, which is a position she has held since 2015. She has 25 years of experience working as a funeral home director. It is not required that a county coroner be a medical professional, and Jackson County is the only one of the 34 counties in southern Illinois that currently has a physician for a coroner.
Wilson-Dallas has also campaigned on a platform of empathy for the deceased and their loved ones.
“Whenever someone passes away, for some people, the next of kin, it’s probably one of the worst times of their lives,” Wilson-Dallas said. “They don’t know where to turn, and they’re looking for that kind of help, and I have years of experience doing that.”
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She also said that a core value that she wishes to bring into the office is availability.
“I know the time and dedication it takes to be a coroner,” Wilson-Dallas said. “I am on call 24/7 when I’m not out of town or at the funeral home and I fulfill my duties no matter what time of day or night I am needed. I will do the same for the coroner’s office and I will give 110% for the people of Jackson County.”
Arnold, a Republican, is an emergency room physician with 20 years of experience in emergency medicine, according to his campaign website, which has a note stating the position gives him an intimate understanding of “sudden loss of life, drug addiction, hospice care and death.”
“Although being a physician isn’t a requirement for coroner, I do believe it puts me in a unique position to be the best candidate,” Arnold said. “I want to maintain the level of medical expertise people have come to expect from the coroner’s office.”
He also has a clear plan for changes he wishes to enact as coroner.
“I want to work to improve collaboration with EMS (emergency medical services), new and current deputy coroners and law enforcement,” Arnold said. “Specifically, I would like to improve response times to scenes and work towards independent transportation through the coroner’s office.”
Election Day is Nov. 5, 2024. Early voting is currently available. For information regarding in-person voting opportunities or absentee ballot applications, visit jacksoncounty-il.gov.
Staff reporter Morrigan Carey can be reached at [email protected]. To stay up to date with all your southern Illinois news, follow the Daily Egyptian on Facebook and Twitter.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was updated to include comments from Republican candidate Dr. Kent Arnold.
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