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With the belief that covering office holders throughout the year is a strong qualification, ECM Publishers, Inc.’s Editorial Board believes in endorsing candidates during this election season.

The Board also believes in interviewing each candidate personally, while also analyzing incumbents’ voting records.

With the country reeling from a financial crisis and from a controversial war, electing the most qualified candidates is paramount in this election.

Panels of editors are interviewing congressional candidates and making recommendations to the Editorial Board.  Candidates for the U. S Senate have been interviewed and the board will vote by secret ballot on that endorsement.

These endorsement editorials will be written by staff members and published at least two weeks before the election.

Local editors have the option of endorsing in legislative, school board, county commissioner and city council races.  The Editorial Board is not involved in who is endorsed in the local races.

In each endorsement, the Editorial Board tries to select the incumbent or challenger who is best qualified to make important judgments for everyone in the district, not just the party they represent.  In other words, the board does not try to pick winners.

Elmer L. Andersen, founder of these newspapers, and former governor and successful businessman, encouraged editors to endorse candidates for office.

There are those who question why any newspaper should try to tell voters for whom to vote.  They argue that it’s difficult for newspaper companies to remain neutral during such turbulent times.  In the history of ECM Publishers, Inc, management has not tried to dictate the endorsements.

The ECM Editorial Board, however, believes that its reporters and editors are engaged often with elected policy makers at their meetings, and along with the personal interviews are able to tell voters who is listening to them and acting on their behalf.

If writing editorials critical of a policy maker’s decision is acceptable, it should be equally acceptable that newspapers do their best to elect a policy maker who has the judgment to make better decisions, regardless of party affiliation

The Editorial Board also has approved guidelines for reporting political campaigns and handling letters to the editor.  These guidelines are meant to report political campaign stories accurately, completely and fairly.

This is one of the most critical elections in the nation’s history, one that will determine the future of capitalism and freedom as we have come to know it.   Such times demand the best and most courageous leaders who will rise above the partisan gridlock and do the best business for the people. – DON HEINZMAN (Don Heinzman’s blog is posted on Hometown Source.Com.)