In addition to our daily and weekend editions, every year The Dispatch produces other publications, including our semiannual magazine, Progress, and a variety of special sections.
There is one publication that sets itself apart from the others because we consider it entirely a public service, which means we don’t sell advertising for it.
For more than two decades, The Dispatch has published a Voter’s Guide prior to municipal elections in Columbus and Starkville and county elections in Lowndes and Oktibbeha.
This year’s Voter’s Guide was published in the March 15 weekend edition. As always, the guide includes information we believe to be helpful to voters as the election approaches, including ward maps and poll locations for each ward.
The biggest feature of the Voter’s Guide are the candidate profiles, which include responses to three questions from the candidates in every contested race for mayor, city council and board of aldermen. Questionnaires are sent to all candidates weeks before the publication date, and our staff follows up with phone calls and emails in an effort to get responses from every candidate. Their responses are edited only for length because we consider them to be the candidate’s opportunity to speak directly to voters.
Although we provide ample time for response, and make every effort to collect responses from the candidates, there are always some candidates who simply do not respond.
It’s hard to fathom why this should be. We would assume a candidate would take advantage of every opportunity to share their ideas with voters, especially when there is no cost to the candidate.
This year, of the 31 candidates in 11 contested races, seven chose not to respond to the questionnaire. The group of non-respondents included two incumbents.
Invariably, there are candidates who decline to participate in candidate forums, debates and invitations to speak at civic organizations.
In every case, it’s a missed opportunity to connect with voters before they head to the polls. It makes us wonder just how serious the candidates are about the offices they seek and just how accessible they will be to those voters if they are elected.
Their absence from the Voter’s Guide is made more conspicuous by the thoughtful responses provided by those who choose to take advantage of the opportunity.
We believe the more voters know about the candidates, the better decisions they will make when they go to the polls.
That’s the entire reason we publish the Voter’s Guide.
Yet, as the saying goes, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 35 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
