How and why we endorse candidates at the Austin American-Statesman

Readers and candidates often have questions about our endorsements at the Austin American-Statesman. Here are answers to the questions we hear most often:

Why do you endorse candidates?

Voters make their own decisions on whom to support in an election. Our goal is not to tell people how to vote, but to provide analysis and recommendations for voters to consider alongside the other information about the election. Through the endorsement process we talk directly with the politicians, ask them tough questions, probe their responses and see their reactions. That work, combined with our years of experience covering issues in our community, helps us provide insights that we believe could be helpful for readers. The process also provides another opportunity for us to hold elected officials accountable for their performance.

Our endorsements are not just a list of candidate names. We explain why we believe a certain candidate is the best choice. Our process is geared toward providing more information as voters are considering their options.

Who makes endorsements at the Austin American-Statesman?

The endorsements, and all editorials, are the collective view of the editorial board, which includes Statesman Executive Editor Manny Garcia, Opinion Editor Juan Castillo, Opinion Writer Michael Coleman and Metro columnist Bridget Grumet. The editorial board is separate from the reporters and editors who provide the news coverage of the campaigns.

What is the process that results in an endorsement? Do you take a vote?

We invite the candidates to meet with us either in person or over a video call. We aim to meet with the candidates for a particular office at the same time so we can discuss the same issues and provide opportunities for the candidates to differentiate themselves and, if necessary, respond to an opponent’s critique. Reporters or news editors often join us for these interviews, even though they are not members of the editorial board, because the discussion with the candidates is helpful for their news coverage.

The editorial board researches the candidates before the interviews, and occasionally we’ll reach out to a candidate after the interview to ask a follow-up question. Then we meet as a board to discuss the candidates. We reach a pick by consensus.

What criteria do you consider when deciding to endorse a candidate?

The endorsement process for candidates is similar to a job interview. We’re looking at candidates’ experience and knowledge of the issues they would encounter if elected. We’re also interested in their positions on key issues, as well as their ability to get things accomplished. We’re looking for candidates who share our values of transparency, fiscal responsibility and respect for the rule of law. We’re looking for people who have an orientation toward social justice and will make decisions based on verifiable information rather than pure ideology. For seats on policy-making boards, such as City Council or school board, we also consider whether a candidate would bring new or underrepresented views to the table.

We don’t have a crystal ball. We don’t predict the winner, and occasionally a candidate we endorsed doesn’t live up to our expectations. But our goal is to highlight the factors that we think could be helpful for voters as they make their decisions.

Are there any races in which you don't endorse?

Given the sheer volume of races, we can’t get to everything on the ballot in the Statesman’s four-county coverage area of Travis, Williamson, Hays and Bastrop counties. We focus our efforts on the races where we believe we can provide the most useful insights to readers, such as Austin City Council, the Austin school board, Travis County Commissioners Court, other countywide seats such as sheriff and district attorney, and Legislative and congressional seats.

We do not provide endorsements in judicial races, most races outside of Travis County or the numerous utility district boards.

I thought a newspaper was supposed to be unbiased. How are you able to produce fair news coverage if you're endorsing candidates?

The news and opinion sections of the Statesman operate separately from each other. They have different staffers and different missions. The opinion staff is overseen by Opinion Editor Juan Castillo, and the news staff is led by Acting Managing Editor Bob Gee. Castillo and Gee both report to Executive Editor Manny Garcia. The reporters and editors for the news section strive to cover the campaigns objectively, asking questions and pointing out issues that might interest voters. The staff in the opinion section provide commentary on the campaigns and ballot propositions, providing context and analysis as part of our recommendations to voters.

Both news and commentary play valuable roles in promoting a healthy political debate in our community. But they are separate kinds of journalism provided by separate teams at the Statesman.

The Austin American-Statesman stopped endorsing candidates years ago. Why did you resume endorsements in 2020?

Year-round, we take stands on the Opinion page to promote the values of good government and the goals of our community. It makes sense for us to bring that perspective to help voters choose candidates.

Like many newspapers, we have explored different ways of sharing those insights with readers. In the 2016 general election, for example, we published extensive Q&As with Austin City Council candidates without making endorsements. All along we have continued to offer endorsements on local and state ballot propositions, such as bond elections and the state constitutional amendments.