This may be what we would normally term an off-year for elections, given that there will be few major Cayuga County races this November.

But one local race is shaping up to become the headliner of the fall, and one of the most interesting since the Auburn mayoral race in 2003.

In many counties, a sheriff's race is either uncontested or unremarkable.

But not in Cayuga County. Not in 2006.

Cayuga County Sheriff Rob Outhouse faces a challenge from 36-year police officer David Gould. And while Gould has said he would like to run a campaign that doesn't harm his friendship with Outhouse - both live in Union Springs - that may be difficult, given the tension already building around the Cayuga County Sheriff's Office.

The office is being investigated by a special prosecutor for overtime and payroll fraud, and one sheriff's deputy has already lost his job following the allegations. Regardless of when Monroe County District Attorney Mike Green releases his findings, this issue will plague Outhouse throughout the campaign. One will recall that Gould announced his candidacy right about the time the special prosecutor was being secured by Cayuga County District Attorney James Vargason. Interesting timing indeed.

Outhouse has his supporters, and has been aggressive in addressing many problem areas, and extremely responsive to the local media. But that aggressive leadership has been termed a heavy-handed political power grab by his critics, some of whom are working on Gould's campaign.

And if this week's endorsement is any indication, Outhouse doesn't have the majority support of his own deputies. Often, endorsements are foregone conclusions, so this week's endorsement of Gould by the Cayuga County Deputy Sheriff's Association - Outhouse's own men - is noteworthy.

It's not often that a department head isn't endorsed by his own employees.

This may be a very interesting campaign.