Campaign letter policy meant

to ensure fairness

After several weeks of earnest campaigning, the long, often grueling journey is winding down for candidates who have been out pounding the pavement courting votes for Tuesday's municipal election. Voters, weary of roadside sign forests and other trappings of the season, are no doubt also experiencing campaign fatigue of their own. Who may be more excited about the campaign's end is difficult to know.

This newspaper's letters to the editor section has seen no shortage of contributions in recent editions. Campaign workers, along with family and friends of candidates, have practically buried us in letters of support for their favorite candidate or ballot initiative.

This week, we have had to turn away even more letters, and some of their writers have not been happy. Sunday's newspaper was the final edition that contained issue/candidate endorsement letters, which is why so much of that edition - five pages worth - was dedicated to letters.

The only agenda behind the decision is one of fairness. A vast majority of the letters received this campaign season were ones supporting a candidate, rather than attacking an opponent. But with so few days - and editions - remaining until the election, it would not be fair to any candidate if a letter were published that contained last-minute attacks or allegations that could unfairly go unanswered before Election Day.

We appreciate all letter writers and respect their opinions, even when they differ from ones expressed in this box three times each week. We are grateful for your submissions and hope that you keep them coming even after the votes have been counted next week.