EDITORIAL: Here comes your best voter info resource

If your absentee ballot is sitting on the desk or table, hold onto it just a little bit longer.

Plan to vote early? Before you do — the Elections Office on Third Street in Coeur d’Alene will accommodate you starting Oct. 15 — essential information is coming your way.

This Saturday, The Press will publish a comprehensive voter guide informing you of local candidates running in a host of races to be decided in the Nov. 5 general election. For many citizens, it will be the single best way to determine who deserves your support.

For months now, The Press has published numerous articles and opinion pieces on ballot issues, including local school district replacement levies and the ultra-important Proposition 1. The voter guide coming Saturday drills down into local candidates’ views on issues and provides key information on their personal and professional backgrounds.

There are no moderators or filters. No editorial bias or kowtowing to special interests. Just you and the candidates hoping to represent you on the North Idaho College Board of Trustees, in the Idaho Legislature, on the Board of County Commissioners and in the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office.

Some of the races are partisan. Even if you’re used to looking no further than the R or D after a prospective legislator’s, commissioner’s or sheriff’s name on the ballot, you’re encouraged to investigate all the contestants appearing on your ballot. (To find out who those candidates are, see: https://shorturl.at/EN7LI) You might be surprised with what you discover.

And some of the races are nonpartisan. Many voters have been paying close attention to the three NIC trustee contests, and with the college’s accreditation at stake, they should. These nonpartisan positions are critical to our communities, and the information you glean from the voter guide will help you choose wisely.

So even if you’re itching to fill out and return that absentee ballot or believe you’re adequately prepared to vote early, be sure to first arm yourself with the best information available. That’s the voter guide which will be in your Press this Saturday.