CHADRON, Neb. -- A judicial vacancy has drawn four Panhandle candidates to apply.

Aaron Conn of Rushville, Vance Haug of Chadron, Travis Rodak of Bridgeport and Audrey Long of Scottsbluff are the four attorneys vying to replace recently-retired Russ Harford of Chadron for the county judge position.

Conn, Haug and Rodak are all county attorneys.

A public hearing for the 12th Judicial District Nominating Commission will be held October 27 at 1:30 p.m. at Chadron State College. Members of the community may offer feedback at the meeting, which will be held at CSC's Student Center Bordeaux Room.

Written testimony can also be submitted by emailing kara.nielsen@nebraska.gov or by mailing it no later than October 20 to Justice Paik, Nebraska Supreme Court, PO Box 98910, Lincoln, NE 68509.

The district covers all 11 Panhandle counties plus Grant County in the Sandhills while the Judicial Nominating Commission consists of 4 attorneys and 4 lay members.

Four attorneys -- Jonas Longoria of Scottsbluff, Amy Patras of Chadron, Paul Snyder of Gering and Matt Watson of Chadron -- along with four lay members --Kim Engel and Bruce Ferguson of Scottsbluff, Peggy Propps of Sidney and Neal Smith of Gering -- are on the eight-person nominating commission.