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EDITORIAL: Voting Still What's Primary: Newspaper Will Not Endorse Any Candidates for May 9 Election

Posted on: Monday, 27 March 2006, 09:00 CST

By The Dominion Post, Morgantown, W.Va.

Mar. 27--Some call elections such as this one "off-year" elections. Also note it's just a "primary" election, too. In truth, however, it's an election as important as any that selects a president. The candidates voters ultimately will choose on May 9 have never been so important. And though the debate on the issues is partisan, what isn't -- as Democrats, Republicans and others would agree -- is that to solve our problems we'll have to do more than talk. But for now, we think it best to let the primary election do what it's designed to do -- allow the political parties to determine what candidates appear on the ballot in November. In that spirit we will not be endorsing candidates during the primary with the exception of four candidates for the nonpartisan, five-member Monongalia County Board of Education. Races for county BOEs are finalized by primary election balloting. BOE candidates won't be on the ballot in November -- this is their general election. The winners take office July 1. However, we will be reporting who the candidates are and where and when they will be speaking, but we won't cover their speeches or most political events. But we will let the GOP and Democrats decide who to endorse. The word "primary" has more than a dozen definitions. Some that come to mind are: from which others are derived; fundamental; elemental; and basic. Once voters sort through the scores of people bidding for a shot at everything from the U.S. Senate to magistrate, then The Dominion Post will consider candidates for endorsement. Responsible political endorsements involve candidate interviews and research, and we take our endorsements too seriously to do it any other way. We look forward to the aftermath of May 9. Because then, the race is on toward political endorsements. But regardless of whether you agree with our recommendations then, we urge you to take time to familiarize yourself with the candidates, who have decided to seek public office and vote. Voting is a duty Americans have come to take for granted, just as we did national security once. As candidates have become more adept at avoiding the issues, voters too often show their displeasure by not voting. But just as we learned on Sept. 11, 2001, our nation's might doesn't spare us from attack, we also should have learned that those who despise democracy believe we don't care enough about government to participate in elections. This election is important, not just because it gives us a chance to participate, but because it helps determine our leaders at a critical time. The Dominion Post will publish a voter's guide in early May. It can help serve as a guide on the candidates, but only your vote will complete the process. Your vote counts far more than your opinion. After all it's the most effective way to be heard. After all, that's what's primary.

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Dominion Post, Morgantown, W.Va.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

For information on republishing this content, contact us at (800) 661-2511 (U.S.), (213) 237-4914 (worldwide), fax (213) 237-6515, or e-mail reprints@krtinfo.com.

Source: The Dominion Post (Morgantown, W.Va.)

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