Trending
If you are considering writing a letter to the editor regarding an issue or candidate that will appear on the Nov. 7 ballot, keep in mind that you are running short on time.
The deadline for submissions related to the coming election is noon on Oct. 26, with those letters appearing Oct. 27 and Oct. 29, depending on the volumes. Once that deadline passes, letters dealing with this year's vote will no longer be accepted.
Which brings about a question that comes up frequently as we get closer to Election Day: Why do we not accept submissions to run the weekend before the election?
It's actually a good question, and the best answer is that by running a letter so close to the election, there would be little time to correct an obvious mistake that appeared in a submission. By keeping the weekend before the election open, we at least have an opportunity to correct any such mistake.
We've used this system for more than two decades now, and it seems to have helped us be fair to all candidates and supporters -- or detractors -- of issues.
Whether you are writing about the election or not, our normal guidelines remain in place. There is a limit of 500 words for submissions, and an individual writer is allowed one letter every four weeks. That restriction allows more readers the opportunity to have a submission published.
Readers are welcome to submit a response to a letter, but the writer has to stay on topic.
Not allowed are responses to responses. The writer of the original letter has his or her say, other readers have the chance to have their say in response and then we move on to other topics.
Letters that we determine to be libelous or personal attacks on an individual are not permitted -- neither are anonymous letters. Every submission must include the name of the writer, the community he or she lives in and a telephone number. That number is used to confirm that the writer is the person they claim to be or to provide a quick way to contact the writer if a question comes up.
Despite what some people might tell you, those telephone numbers are never published, and they are never shared.
There are still many ways you can get a letter to us. You can use our Virtual Newsroom or send an e-mail. You can send your submission through the mail.
There are a few writers who still like to fax their letters, and some like to drop them off in person at the newspaper office.
It doesn't matter how you choose to get it to us -- but however you choose to get it here, remember it is your responsibility to get it into our hands before the deadline.
Submissions from our readers remain important to our newspaper. They allow us to present a variety of differing viewpoints, and they continue a longtime newspaper tradition.
We are happy to be able to continue to make that wide-ranging and far-reaching forum available.
(Gallabrese, a resident of Steubenville, is executive editor of the Herald-Star and The Weirton Daily Times)