The Inquirer’s 2022 Endorsement Guide

Prior to each election, The Inquirer’s Editorial Board, which operates independently from the newsroom, identifies the races where an endorsement can help readers understand where candidates stand on issues and why we think voters should support (or oppose) a particular candidate.

We firmly believe that all elections are important, and the Board works to provide as much guidance for Inquirer readers as we can. We typically limit our endorsements to highly competitive races and local ballot questions. This means that, unfortunately, we did not offer endorsements in many races. A lack of an endorsement is not a judgment by the Board on the significance of any office or race.

We thoroughly research the candidates’ backgrounds, including a review of the published work of our newsroom colleagues, and additional reporting by the members of the Board.

The Board hosts meetings with candidates running in contested races, where we ask them about their stance on the issues we think are most important to their constituents. This year, we held virtual meetings with them on Zoom. The meetings are on the record, and political reporters and editors are invited to participate, but they do not weigh in on the endorsement process.

» READ MORE: Your voter guide to the Nov. 2022 election in Pennsylvania

We invite your comments on this process and our endorsements at opinion@inquirer.com. If you’d like your comments to be considered for our letters to the editor page, please include your address and phone number (not for publication) so we can verify your identity.