Election season has a way of making local voices feel small. The narratives about who we should vote for are often shaped by party messaging, national media, and debates that feel distant from our everyday lives. But elections don’t belong to political machines—they belong to communities.
At The Sarnia Journal, we believe local media should reflect that. That’s why we’re not just covering the election—we’re platforming every candidate. We’ve invited everyone running in this election to write a column, in their own words, directly to you. No filters, no soundbites—just their ideas, as they see them.
But we’re not stopping there. We also sent every candidate a set of questions—on issues that matter to Sarnia-Lambton—and we’ll be publishing their answers for you to compare. The goal is simple: to give voters access to more than just campaign slogans, to bring the conversation back to what actually affects our community.
This isn’t about endorsements, and it’s not about creating a spectacle. It’s about making space for people who want to lead this community to explain, in their own voices, what they believe that should look like.
Javi, our editor, put it well: “A community's newspaper should be a platform, not a gatekeeper. It’s not our job to decide who gets to speak. It’s our job to make sure voters can hear directly from the candidates asking for their support.”
Yes, I’m running in this election too, and I recognize how that could be seen. But this isn’t about me—it’s about what kind of news outlet The Journal is becoming. We want to be more than a place where people read about their community. We want to be a place where people shape it.
So as the election unfolds, we hope you’ll take the time to read what the candidates have to say—and how they answer the questions that matter to you. Because an informed community is a strong community, and that’s what we’re here to build.
If you are running and haven't been reached out to yet, please reach out to us at [email protected]