Editorial: Get the info you need to make good voting choices

Tribune-Review | Wednesday, October 25, 2023 6:01 a.m.

Pennsylvanians are in the prime political endorsement window for the general election.

With the polls opening Nov. 7 and so many mail-in voters already considering their ballots, many organizations and news agencies are taking this time to put a stamp of approval on a particular candidate in this race or that one.

The Tribune-Review does not endorse. We leave that crucial and very personal decision about who will receive each individual’s vote in those individual hands.

What we can do is urge everyone to do more than just vote. Vote thoughtfully. Vote meaningfully. Vote with understanding of more than just party but the importance of the role and an appreciation of the person.

With that in mind, we are highlighting the contests where candidates are running head to head. We want you to have the best information possible. We want you to have a full understanding of what makes this race or that one critical.

Pennsylvania’s top races include statewide judicial contests, highlighted by the Supreme Court. These are important seats that can do more than impact Keystone State communities. They have the ability to end up affecting national issues, including abortion and the 2024 election.

At the same time, the way some county races turn out could be a bellwether for the presidential and legislative contests in 2024. Among the most decisive will be Allegheny County, where the executive and district attorney votes could indicate significant forks in the electoral road.

But every race has the potential to be this important, particularly now. That cannot be underestimated.

Westmoreland County row offices are just as influential. Municipal councils are making choices for their communities that impact everyday life in major ways. School boards have become battlefield races as communities grapple with decisions about what freedom means and what parents can control.

We don’t want to tell you how to vote. We want to give you the information you need to make your vote matter.

Now it’s up to you to dig into this data and decide who best represents what you want your community, county and Pennsylvania to be.