Many would say this election is going to be as important as any, and more important than most in Lawrence County.

Even though we do not have any national, state or even county races to speak of, municipal voters will make important decisions Nov. 4. While we know the candidates and their supporters have plenty to say, we hope the citizens will speak their mind as well. One way to participate is through letters to the editor.

However, to keep the process as fair as possible, we have to have some guidelines for politically related letters to the editor.

The regular guidelines for letters to the editor will still apply - all letters must be no longer than 600 words, must be signed by the author and must include a telephone number for verification purposes. We reserve the right to edit submitted information. As always, letters that are inappropriate, libelous or otherwise unsuitable for publication will not be used.

Letters must be received by Oct. 22 and none will be printed after Oct. 26.

Personal attacks on candidates, their families, religions, businesses or such will not be allowed. Letters should deal with issues, not personalities.

If a letter includes allegations of wrongdoing or unethical activities and has no objective documentation to back the claim, the letter will not be published. Publication of any accusations will be the decision of the editorial board, and if the accusations cannot be proven, the letter will be rejected.

Guest columns from candidates about political issues will not be considered. Guest columns from candidates about non-political issues will not be considered until after Nov. 4.

Only one politically related letter per person will be published between now and the Oct. 26 deadline.

These guidelines are not meant to keep anyone from writing a politically charged letter, but they are intended to make sure they are written ethically. Everyone has the right to cheer or jeer an elected official or one running for office, but personal attacks will not be tolerated.

We encourage everyone to take advantage of the letters to the editor section to share their views about the candidates and issues.

You can e-mail letters (letters@irontontribune.com), fax: them to (740) 532-1506, mail them to P.O. Box 647, Ironton, Ohio, 45638, or drop them off at our office, located at 2903 S. Fifth St., Ironton.

The election process is one of our most precious privileges. We encourage our readers to let the public know how they feel. We just encourage them to do it in a civil manner.

Shawn Doyle is managing editor of The Tribune. He can be reached at (740) 532-1445 ext. 19 or by e-mail to shawn.doyle@irontontribune.com