This fall, voters will make election choices about the governments closest to home: county council, city councils and school boards and a host of other offices. If we mean what most of us say about believing in government close to people, this is a time to pay attention.

This week, the editorial page is beginning its election coverage with endorsements in selected contests on the Sept. 18 primary election. On Sunday, we supported a sales tax request from Community Transit. In coming days, we will make endorsements in two special legislative elections, the county council primaries and the Lynnwood mayor’s race.

The endorsements made here represent the opinion of the editorial board, which is composed of the people whose names appear at the top of the page. The news department operates independently and is not involved in the endorsements. The editorial board’s endorsement decisions are reached after studying the candidates and issues. The process includes interviewing the candidates, generally in person, unless a candidate’s schedule or wishes preclude a discussion.

Endorsements represent a long-standing tradition in American newspapers, one that we are proud to carry on. They represent the best effort of the editorial board to reach conclusions that — in our opinion — will serve the community well. Many readers find the endorsements useful — often because they regard our choices as a quick guide on exactly how not to vote. That’s fine by us, because our main concern is that as many people as possible take part in voting and give the election as much attention as they can.

Already, readers’ own endorsements — election letters — have begun to arrive. We will print as many as space and time allow, but experience indicates that it won’t be possible to print every letter, in either the primary or the November general election. Our biggest goal will be to provide a balanced sampling of viewpoints. There are some guidelines we can offer to increase the chance of a letter being run. Especially for the races that receive less general coverage, we will focus on positive letters. Well-meaning candidates for lesser office can easily be tarred, because there is less information out there about them.

The key limit is the number of words. No election letter can be used if it exceeds 300 words. The chances of publication will be much higher for letters that are considerably shorter. We suggest 150 words as a realistic aim. And please stick to one topic. Just as shorter is better, so is sooner. But the deadline for letters to be considered for publication before the primary election is Monday at 5 p.m.

Letters must include the writer’s name, signature, daytime phone and mailing address. We ask that representatives of campaign organizations not submit letters; enforcement depends on the honor system.

Letters should be addressed to Letters Section, The Herald, Box 930, Everett, WA 98206. Letters may also be faxed to 425-339-3458 or e-mailed to: letters@heraldnet.com.