Government “by the people” depends on voters having the information needed to select leaders who will serve their interests.
At the Star Herald we’re working hard to inform our readers about their election choices.
We published candidate profiles ahead of last week’s primary election, and we’ll offer similar profiles ahead of the general election.
Our Rock County voters will have choices in city races and school boards, in addition to state and federal races. (See the related stories in this week’s paper about who filed for office.)
In addition to our hard copy and online election coverage, we’ll again host candidate forums to introduce candidates to the community by way of question-and-answer sessions.
We’ve enjoyed these conversations in the past, and we’re committed to hosting another one in mid-September when early voting starts.
They are a great way for candidates to express their views and for voters to get a glimpse of candidates’ potential leadership qualities.
Those conversations will be livestreamed and recorded for later viewing on our website.
This kind of election coverage takes time and energy for a small news staff already scrambling to keep up with the news of our vibrant community. And it will take support from our advertisers and event sponsors to help cover the costs and resources that quality election coverage requires.
And in the end, a government “by the people” will require participation from an informed electorate — community members who take advantage of fair and balanced local election coverage we’re working hard to share.
First and foremost, we need to vote. And if we intend to vote, let’s learn about our ballot options before we step into the voting booth.
At the Star Herald, we’re doing our best to make that research a little easier.
