With candidates of every persuasion telling voters the stakes in this year’s election couldn’t be higher, the Press has one word of advice: Vote!
Four years ago in the 2020 presidential election, Harvard’s turnout reached 91%, among the highest in the state or country. That’s a level of civic engagement to be cherished, and if the outcome of this year’s contest is as consequential as our major political parties claim, there’s every reason for every voice to be heard. That’s what democracy is all about.
This year’s presidential race is said to be so closely contested that small differences in the number of votes cast could tilt the outcome decisively in a number of key battleground states. Perhaps that is not the case in Harvard, which in 2020 favored Joe BIden over Donald Trump by 74% to 23% and where all but two races are uncontested. But there is one contested race on the ballot, between incumbent Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Republican John Deaton, and there are five consequential ballot questions awaiting the judgment of Harvard voters.
It has been the policy of the Press since its founding not to endorse candidates for elected office and to leave the reporting of national affairs to others—unless there is a direct impact on our readers. We believe our responsibility as a local paper is to provide unbiased reporting that empowers readers to make their own informed choices.
For community papers, endorsements carry unique risks, potentially eroding trust with readers by appearing partisan. In a time when media trust is often questioned, our responsibility is to report truthfully, ask tough questions, and represent our community’s diverse voices without fear of government pressure. Besides, research suggests newspaper endorsements hold less sway than before, with voters now relying on a mix of sources, from social media to independent news sites. Our priority remains offering accurate, comprehensive information on candidates and issues; the decision is ultimately yours. Frankly, it’s all we can do to stay on top of the news and goings-on of our own community.
Our refusal to endorse, however, does not mean an absence of values. As a community newspaper, we see journalism as a cornerstone of democracy, vital for informing citizens, encouraging civic engagement, and holding leaders accountable. Our mission is to provide readers with the unbiased information necessary to participate fully in the democratic process. And we expect candidates, local as well as national, to uphold the constitutional principles that support it—including the First Amendment’s guarantee of a free press. The responsibility to “preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States” is one we all share, this year more than ever.