Like many newspapers, the Seattle Times endorses candidates prior to an election. The first important thing to know about endorsements is that they are entirely separate and independent of the news reporting of the campaign.
News reporters cover campaigns to help readers understand what is going on.
Editorial writers go beyond reporting of campaigns to analyze the candidates, their experience, and their campaigns. We let readers know who we think is the better candidate in each race. Before we arrive at our recommendation, Times editorial writers read what others, including newspaper reporters, have written. We examine campaign material and advertisements. We conduct personal interviews with candidates in every race in which we endorse.