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Nose for News by Sarah Stultz

I’ll be the first to tell you I dislike politics — especially partisan politics. 

I don’t have much patience for politicians who make promises they can’t keep, who resort to name-calling or who try to recruit voters based on tearing down their opponents.

I wish candidates could focus on their assets, what they believe and what they realistically can bring to the table. 

I also wish candidates would do their research about important issues that they talk about and make sure that what they are promoting is true. 

In addition, I really wish that voters could see more of how candidates truly are as human beings and not just how they are when they’re in the public eye or when they’re participating in a media event. How someone acts when they’re outside of their element and when the cameras aren’t running can tell a whole lot about a person and how they will make decisions. 

Despite my dislike for election season, I’m a strong advocate of voting and of the freedoms we are afforded as Americans to choose the candidates who best align with our values. It’s a freedom we often take for granted — but we need to realize how fortunate we really are. 

I also believe it is a newspaper’s responsibility to help educate voters on the candidates and to make sure voters know where to vote and what will be on their ballots. 

The Tribune has published profiles about the local candidates participating in the upcoming Aug. 9 primary election and will cover the candidate forums for these candidates on Thursday. 

If you haven’t been paying much attention, now is a good time to start doing so and hearing what the candidates have to say.

Big races on the ballot locally on Aug. 9 are the 1st District Congressional race — people will vote two times for the same seat. First, they’ll vote for the person they want to fill the remainder of the late Jim Hagedorn’s term, and second they’ll vote to narrow down the candidates who will face off in the general election and start in Jan. 3 for the regular term. 

Aside from that race, there’s the races of governor and lieutenant governor, attorney general and secretary of state. We also have some big races at the county and city level, including races for Albert Lea Ward 6, Freeborn County Commissioner District 2 and Freeborn County sheriff.

These races have more than two candidates who have filed for office, and so the vote will narrow down the field to the top two to face off in the general election. 

I hope you take advantage of the opportunity to vote. And if you’re not able to vote the day of the election, then try to vote absentee.

Sarah Stultz is the managing editor of the Tribune. Her column appears on Wednesdays.