To the editor:

Voters need and deserve more than ads and lawn signs to make up their minds at election time. That is especially true in local elections where it is hard to get a lot of information on the candidates running for county, city, and school district positions. Fortunately for local voters, the League of Women Voters of the Copper Country took the time and made the effort to educate the public with the latest issue of their Voters Guide, distributed in the Daily Mining Gazette.

But a Voters Guide is only helpful if and when candidates respond. I would like to thank the following local candidates who took the time to share their views and opinions with voters: I have listed them in the order they appeared in the Voter Guide: Rick Kasprzak, Mark Kemppainen, Anton Pintar, Mary Tuisku, Robert Megowen, Mike Needham, Dan Salo, David Geisler, Peggy Germain, Steven Nicholas, John Pastore, Adrienne Hillman, Suzanna Tuomi, Hugh Hosafros, Steven Lancour, Amy Schrank, Christina Hatmap, Paul Marttila, Richard Schaefer, Ed Tulppo, Laurel Ann Hamlin.

Thanks, too, to Christopher Germain, Bob Michaels, and Scott Dianda for participating in the Voters Guide by sharing their thoughts on they would represent us in the Michigan House and Senate.

Before you head to the polls, I encourage you to take a few minutes to read your Voters Guide and study local, as well as state, candidates’ positions.

Take into account whether those seeking elected office in your community gave you, the voter, the time and respect to share their views and backgrounds.

That might well be an indicator of how much time and effort they will be willing to spend to represent you, should they get elected to office.

Jill Burkland

Houghton