New policy concerning letters to editor

Readers:

Effective with this political season, the Havre Daily News is instituting a new policy concerning election endorsement letters to the editor.

We encourage letters to the editor on issues or ballot initiatives in the Nov. 6 election. The deadline for submitting those letters is 4:30 p.m, Wednesday, Oct. 31.

We will not print endorsement letters of candidates — letters that simply back one candidate.

These letters are often organized by political parties and are cleared by candidates before being sent. This seems to us to go against the whole idea of letters to the editor; they are more advertising than journalism.

We encourage letters on public policy issues that are being debated in the issues. As always, letters that comment on our coverage or stories that we have written are welcome.

The Havre Daily News will be running extensive coverage of all local races. The Associated Press will provide news of national and local races. We will cover state candidates when they come to Havre, and interview every candidate who agrees to be interviewed.