As a community newspaper, one of our goals is to provide residents with more than a thumbnail profile of the candidates running for Campbell City Council. In the last two issues we have highlighted at length all five candidates running for only two open council seats, making it a tough and competitive race.

As we draw closer to Election Day, Nov. 2, our newspaper will continue its coverage, providing Campbell citizens with additional information, from candidate forums to campaign contributions. We believe that as your community newspaper it is our role to provide Campbell residents with as much information as possible, so that on Election Day citizens can make an educated choice at the polls, a choice that extends beyond the information they have read on the ballot statement.

Being armed with adequate information is also critical when it comes to electing members of a school board. Knowing this, the Reporter is also profiling the six candidates running for the Campbell Union High School District. Only two seats are open, making this race also competitive. The first three profiles appear in this week's issue.

But no matter how much information we report, the real work falls on each citizen's shoulder. Read the stories we write and attend the forums that are being presented by the League of Women Voters. The upcoming forum—on Sept. 23 at 5:30 p.m.—will feature all five Campbell City Council candidates. Residents are invited to submit written questions to the candidates during the event, making it a terrific opportunity to have your concerns addressed. And we have many—traffic, growth, business development and retaining Campbell's unique appeal. This event is also being broadcast live on the city's government channel—cable channel 26—so even if you can't make it, you can watch.

Then on Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. the League of Women Voters is giving citizens another opportunity to become better informed. Westmont High School will be the site for the six candidates running for the Campbell Union High School District board. Those elected will be facing some tough decisions in the future. Teacher negotiations are coming back onto the table, budget cuts continue to loom and parcel taxes are critical to the health of the district. Residents, whether they have children in the district or not, are all affected, so please educate yourself on the issues and the candidates and encourage your neighbors, friends and family to do the same.

We believe so strongly in the process that The Campbell Reporter is co-sponsoring these forums with the League of Women Voters.

There are other races to consider also, from bond measures to state seats, enough to make anyone dizzy, but our newspaper is providing readers with the dates and times for many forums being held locally.

The bottom line is there is really no excuse to say, "I don't know who to vote for because I don't know anything about these people." We are working hard to make sure you have everything you need to make that choice, but you have to also do your homework and learn about the candidates who want to run our city, our schools, our state and our country. The decisions are ultimately in your hands.

Moryt Milo is the editor of The Campbell Reporter. She can be contacted at 408.200.1051 or mmilo@svcn.com.