The state's first "top two" primary election is over, and now the two finalists in various races square off for the Nov. 4 general election. Our annual quest to stimulate interest in local and statewide election campaigns gets serious Wednesday when we publish the first of a series of editorials on candidates and ballot issues that we recommend to voters.

This year we'll be making recommendations in 16 candidate races and three initiatives on the statewide ballot.

Then we invite you to have at those suggestions in our Letters From Our Readers column, although we insist the debate be reasonable, issues-oriented, focused -- and civil. No mudslinging or name-calling.

More on that later.

We will be making recommendations in the following races:

* President and vice president.

* 4th District House of Representatives.

* Governor.

* Lieutenant governor.

* Attorney general.

* Secretary of state.

* State auditor.

* Superintendent of public instruction.

* Commissioner of public lands.

* State treasurer.

* State insurance commissioner.

* Two seats in each of the 14th and 15th Districts of the state House of Representatives.

* Yakima County commissioner for District 2.

* Initiative 985 (traffic congestion), I-1000 (assisted suicide) and I-1029 (certifying home health-care workers).

This time around, we've added a new twist to some of our endorsements. Audio recordings of editorial board interviews with the candidates for the state legislative seats and county commissioner will be available on our Web site at www.yakimaherald.com.

All of the interviews with state elected officials from lieutenant governor through insurance commissioner on the list above -- and the pros and cons of the three ballot issues -- were videotaped by TVW and are available at tvw.org. On the day those endorsements run, they also will be available at yakimaherald.com.

Our endorsement process, along with our news coverage of campaigns and issues, starts early again this year because the general election will be by mail ballot. State election law requires that those ballots be made available 20 days prior to an election, which this year is Oct. 15.

We offer our endorsements to stimulate debate and interest in the upcoming election. They are part of our overall effort as a newspaper to provide information, and, we hope, some insights that spur our readers to become informed and involved, and to vote.

Opinions expressed in the endorsements are those of the Yakima Herald-Republic's editorial board and are based on information obtained in interviews and research.

As a newspaper, we'll provide broad campaign coverage of races and issues in an effort to help voters become informed. However, campaign coverage and endorsements are entirely separate processes. The former is in our news columns, the latter on our Opinion pages.

As always, a good way for readers to join in the election debate is through our letters column. A new and easy twist this year will be the opportunity for readers to comment directly on endorsements as they are published on our Web site. Just check the "comment" link and follow directions.

A few notes on letters:

* Letters relating to candidates and issues will be accepted through Oct. 27 for the Nov. 4 general election. Earlier submission is strongly recommended because of the Oct. 15 availability of ballots. Letters of 200 words or fewer that are approved for publication are published in the letters column and on our Web site. Those longer than 200 words and shorter than 500 have the option of appearing on the Web site only.

* We reserve the right to reject any letter, particularly those that arrive late and involve new charges or claims that can't be answered by others before the cutoff deadline.

* Writers who cite something as "fact" rather than "opinion" must document the source of the facts.

* The last day for publication of any election-related letters will be Nov. 2. We will not publish election letters on the Monday before the election or on Election Day.

* We encourage letters from readers, not campaigns. Form letters will not be accepted. Writers also must follow all of the regular guidelines that are printed in the "To Submit a Letter" box found on the Opinion Page and on our Web site.

As we announce our recommendations, we know you won't agree or disagree with all of them. But we do hope they start you thinking and discussing your choices before you vote.

* Members of the Yakima Herald-Republic editorial board are Michael Shepard, Sarah Jenkins, Bill Lee and Karen Troianello.

SCHEDULE

• Wednesday: secretary of state; lieutenant governor

• Thursday: state auditor; insurance commissioner

• Friday: superintendent of public instruction; attorney general

• Sunday: 14th District state House of Representatives, Positions 1 and 2

• Monday: 15th District state House of Representatives, Positions 1 and 2

• Oct. 14: commissioner of public lands; state treasurer

• Oct. 15: Yakima County commissioner, District 2; Initiative 1029

• Oct. 16: Initiative 1000; Initiative 985

• Oct. 17: governor; 4th District House of Representatives

• Oct. 19: president and vice president