Publisher’s Notebook: Why we make political endorsements

Published 12:30 am Saturday, March 14, 2020

1. The Arizona Republic will no longer make candidate endorsements. Here’s why
2. How and why our editorial board endorses political candidates
3. An argument for newspaper endorsements (again)

The field is set for the local 2020 elections. Tuesday was the filing deadline for candidates running in Oregon’s May 19 primary election.

You can expect original, comprehensive reporting from The Astorian about campaigns for Clatsop County elected office and ballot measures. Our elections content consists of four parts: 1. News stories 2. Letters to the Editor 3. Editorial board endorsements and 4. Political advertising. Each type of content stands on its own, independent of influence.

Our primary role in election coverage will be focused on interviews with local candidates and background on local measures — information at a depth you can’t get anywhere else. Election news stories are produced by reporters the same way they report on issues or events every day, by gathering facts through documents and interviews for an impartial report.

The Astorian will also publish statewide election stories from our Oregon Capital Bureau and national updates from syndicated news sources.

Letters to the editor are published on the Opinion page as a venue for readers to provide their opinion on election topics. Letters should be original, exclusive to The Astorian, fewer than 250 words and must include the writer’s name, address and phone number so that we can confirm authorship. The best letters inform without insult. Our goal is to print every letter submitted. We may ask you to edit your letter — or we will edit your letter — for grammar, spelling, accuracy or publication standards.

Political advertising is paid for by the candidate or campaign, with the message, presentation and timing determined by the customer. Publication standards apply here, too. No false statements accepted, and the ad must include the contact information of the campaign purchasing the ad.

The Astorian’s editorial board will write candidate and ballot measure endorsements. The board consists of five current and former editors and publishers: me, editor Derrick DePledge, former editor and publisher Steve Forrester, former managing editor Patrick Webb and Chinook Observer editor and publisher Matt Winters.

DePledge and I will interview local candidates much as we would interview a job prospect — do we think that they are the best candidate for the job? Experience, priorities, work history and project leadership are all important. The editorial board has widely disparate personal views, but will agree as a board on endorsements we think will represent the county’s best interests.

Some newspapers, most recently the Arizona Republic and Dallas Morning News, have chosen to discontinue editorial board endorsements. According to the Arizona Republic, “(Readers) tell us our endorsements alienate them and blur the way they read our news stories. They don’t see the sharp line we draw between our news and opinion content.”

If you’ve read this far into this column, I trust that you read and comprehend stories — you don’t get your election news from just soundbites and memes. I believe that Astorian readers are smart enough to understand the difference between an Opinion page editorial and news stories.

The Astorian has historically endorsed candidates for election, not because we are kingmakers or think we have better judgment than our readers. Newspapers have access to candidates and research that readers may not have. It’s our job to understand local issues and how public offices can affect change. You may not agree with our choices, but they should give you food for thought.

As my Dad used to tell me, “I don’t always agree with your editorials, but I can understand your reasoning.” That’s my gold standard for an endorsement — that we have provided you enough information to understand our point of view, even if you don’t agree with it.

The Arizona Republic goes on to say, “You need information to understand your community, to seize its opportunities and help solve its problems. In a democracy, newspapers are your eyes and ears on government, courts, police departments, public schools, anywhere the people’s business is conducted. The information we bring you is essential to holding your government accountable.”

Particularly in this upcoming election year, we couldn’t agree more.