OSCAR Wilde wrote that the only thing in the world worse than being talked about, is not being talked about – this is certainly the case in elections.

Voting for the post of Police and Crime Commissioner takes place on May 5.

As with the run-up to all elections, local journalists all over the country are sighing into their coffees, resigned to the fact they probably will be fielding calls from every single party involved in the election wanting to accuse them of bias and imagined slights.

At the last general election, one of Spectator's colleagues found herself at the end of a community meeting staring at the end of a candidate’s finger hovering closely to her face.

“You,” said the candidate, jabbing his finger at her, “need to be talking to me.” Just to emphasise his point, he pointed his thumb at himself. The candidate in question had, though, until that point remained almost completely silent during the campaign.

But all four candidates in the running for the North Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner post have very different viewpoints and experience; Julia Mulligan has existing experience in the post, Mike Pannett's background is as a former police officer and policing commentator, Steve Howley has experience of the fire service which could soon come under the PCC remit, and James Blanchard has a background in business and local government.

Between them, they have managed to bring some colour to a debate which has, at times on Twitter, become a little heated.

Thank goodness they have. The worst thing for democracy is to have an election too dull to inspire people to leave the comfort of their home for a polling booth on a rainy night. The post comes with considerable power and influence – the ability to hire and fire chief constables and to hold North Yorkshire’s police force to account on behalf of the public – but a low turnout will suggest that many members of the public still regard it as pointless.