The discourse surrounding the 2020 presidential race is already omnipresent, from their constant buzz through media platforms, mentions on socials or caught between conversations in public.

Those who have their mind made up about who should be president are speaking their minds. Those who are unsatisfied with the options presented are asking others to reconsider. Those who are silently observing are making tough choices. And those who absolutely don’t care are looking for a little peace and quiet.

Throughout this process, our team at the Lanthorn will continue to encourage dialogue as the foundation of mutual understanding and progress.

Regardless of your political affiliation, what issues you find important or your distance from the political ecosystem, your voice matters. No one is asking for you to take a political stance that you’ll be forced to fight for, but we are encouraging you to stand up for what you believe in proudly — whether it’s a strong policy platform or the idea that voting is pointless.

Out there are confused community members, or people that have been lost in the spin cycle of confusing rhetoric and campaign ads. There may be people looking for an ally. Or a friend. Or a sense that they may not be alone in their beliefs.

We understand that news outlets are looked at with an especially critical eye during election cycles, which is why the Lanthorn’s editorial team will be doing its best to keep our readership educated. With Super Tuesday behind us and the competition to President Trump’s incumbent presidential race narrowing, we want our readers to be comfortable in their decisions.

Here’s what this means to you, the reader:

1. We will be extending an open invitation to all readers to submit letters to the editor about any form of view on local, state-wide or national issues or political races.
2. Working with non-partisan organizations and independent researchers, we will strive toward preparing voters to cast their ballots. As we look towards November, we intend to keep our readership educated on political stances that matter most to our West Michigan community.
3. Outside of the political realm, the Lanthorn will continue to be a haven for those seeking local news, inspiring stories about community members and engaging sports coverage.

If you have a perspective you want to share with us, email Editor-in-Chief Nick Moran at [email protected] to submit a letter to the editor.