Newspaper will publish traditional essays in print edition

As usual The Citizen will again be providing local candidates with a forum to share information with voters in the Wednesday editions of The Citizen leading up to the Nov. 6 elections.

New this year, The Citizen is devoting a special section of its website where candidates in Fayette, Coweta and south Fulton counties can blog about issues in the election. In turn, this allows voters a chance to interact online with the candidates.

The section will be available via a link at the top right hand corner of The Citizen’s homepage at www.TheCitizen.com.

Invitations to participate in the printed essays have been sent to each candidate in the City Council races in Peachtree City, Fayetteville and Tyrone. In addition, candidates in Chatthoochee Hills, Fairburn, Palmetto, Senoia, Sharpsburg and Union City are invited to participate in our online political forum.

The online forum will be unedited, thus the name: “2007 Election Free 4 All.” The Citizen reserves the right to restrict candidates’ access and edit or remove inappropriate material ... but that extreme measure will be done only if absolutely necessary. The Citizen is confident all candidates will stay well within various laws including those of libel and slander.

The intent is to provide a completely unfettered forum for the exchange of ideas.

Candidates will each be given a special login name and password and can post an unlimited amount of material online.

As for our print edition, The Citizen will publish weekly essays from each Fayetteville, Peachtree City and Tyrone candidate in our Wednesday editions on Oct. 17, 24, and 31. There will be NO charge for this service; the essay space is free to the candidates but it is limited to no more than 400 words each week.

The content of the essays is limited only by what the individual candidates wish to say to the voters.

There are a few ground rules for the print essays:

1. They must be submitted via email to editor@TheCitizen.com;

2. The essays must be in the body text of the email messages;

3. The essays must be 400 words or less. Essays longer than that will be cut off immediately after the 400th word.

4. All deadlines will be strictly observed as follows:

• Thursday, Oct. 11
(for publishing in the Oct. 17 edition)

• Thursday, Oct. 18
(for publishing in the Oct. 24 edition)

• Thursday, Oct. 25
(for publishing in the Oct. 31 edition)

5. All candidates’ essays must reach The Citizen’s email inbox by the above deadlines or they will be discarded. Candidates should make sure their essays arrive well in advance of the deadlines.