A few times, I have provided some background, or behind the scenes, of what goes on here at The Vicksburg Post.

With very few exceptions — such as the combination to our safe — nothing that goes on at The Post is secret. It is my intention, and that of the staff, that the community understands this is their newspaper — your newspaper — and does its best to provide a daily news product that serves the community in which we live.

Part of that community service is doing something this election cycle that might not have been done in the past, but is something I feel very strongly that newspapers — particularly community newspapers — are called to do.

Editorial endorsements in political races are normally touchy issues. Regardless of whom the newspaper endorses, or what ballot initiative the newspaper supports, some will disagree with the newspaper’s opinion.

We understand that.

But, what I want to do today is stress that such endorsements are not taken lightly. They are not written on a whim or at the last moment.

Each endorsement is researched, discussed, debated, written and edited carefully. Each is given the time needed to give our readers, our community, the very best understanding of why such a decision was made, such an endorsement given.

Over the past two weeks, the staff of the newspaper’s editorial board has met with many of the candidates running in next Tuesday’s municipal election in Vicksburg.

By Thursday, we would have met with each of the candidates.

During those meetings, we have challenged many of their positions, drilled down for better answers on some of the top topics facing our community, including infrastructure, economic development, ways to turn around a declining population and their support — or lack thereof — of the proposed sports complex and the tax plan that would fund it.

In each of those meetings, while we might not have agreed with the answers, we have sat in awe of those running.

While we cannot endorse everyone who is on the ballot, I can speak for everyone, that we have come away thankful that such people would seek public office. That is a challenge, a task, and a level of scrutiny that I could never imagine taking on personally.

Each candidate should each be applauded and commended for taking on such a challenge.

The endorsements will appear in Sunday’s edition of The Post, and I hope you take the time to read them. While it is not our intention to sway the results, but rather it is our intention to better educate those voting.

In the end, endorsements are simply words on a page. The only endorsement that counts is the one the polling place when the vote is cast.

Go vote Tuesday.

Tim Reeves is publisher of The Vicksburg Post. You may reach him at tim.reeves@vicksburgpost.com.