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Wars of words have begun in the seven competitive races for the Dane County Board of Supervisors, as candidates set themselves apart from their opponents in the lead-up to Election Day on April 1.

Non-incumbent candidates in two other races are running unopposed, and four incumbents are stepping down. Supervisors Dianne Hesselbein, Melissa Agard Sargent, Kurt Schlicht and Erika Hotchkiss filed non-candidacy papers in December.

Among the slew of perennial issues facing the board, the next class of supervisors will grapple with several dynamic issues, ones with far-reaching implications. Up in the air are whether to build a new jail, where to build a $600,000 day shelter for the homeless and how to reel in the county's $250 million in debt.

To the chagrin of conservatives, these decisions will land squarely in the hands of the board's liberal wing, whose current super-majority could grow by six more seats.

Of all nine races, District 21 is perhaps the most closely watched, as labor attorney Andy Schauer launches an energetic challenge to David Wiganowsky, the board's 10-term conservative stalwart.

Barring a successful write-in candidate, Paul Nelson, running unopposed, will replace Hesselbein in the District 9 seat. Michele Ritt, also running unopposed, will replace Sargent in the District 18 seat.

Both Hesselbein and Sargent were elected to the state Assembly in 2012. Like their predecessors, Nelson and Ritt are left of center politically.

Below are overviews of the seven competitive races, what issues the candidates feel should be board priorities, why they believe they're the one for the job, and what distinguishes them from their opponent.

District 5

UW-Madison student Chris Hoffman aims to unseat fellow political science major and one-term incumbent Leland Pan. Both men, 21, say they are the best choice to represent students on the board.

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Liberals could pick up six seats in 2014 Dane County Board races