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This newspaper — and we are sure much of the public — enjoy your Letters to the Editor. Those letters along with our own views and those of other newspapers and columnists help stimulate public debate.

But that does not mean that this newspaper can or will print all the correspondence that it receives. Here are a few guidelines to remember when writing to us.

Writers should limit letters to 300 words or less. We will ask you to resubmit your letter if it is too long.

All letters will be verified prior to publication to ensure that the signature on the letter is the author’s. Writers should include their addresses and daytime phone numbers. Anonymous letters will not be published.

Also, we will not publish poetry or tributes to family or friends. “Thank you” letters will be published only when they have general public interest and may be edited so they are relevant to most readers and do not include lists of businesses or individuals who have supported a cause.

We also ask that you not send open letters, form letters, copies of letters sent to others, material from the Internet or letters attacking other letter writers. Expressing a contrary opinion to another letter writer is fine, as long as you stay on topic and don’t make it personal.

During political campaigns, letters endorsing candidates will be accepted, as will letters critical of a candidate. However, such letters should focus on issues in the campaign and the candidates’ qualifications as they relate to those issues.

Letters about candidates will not be accepted closer than one week before an election: that is, those letters will be accepted through May 1 for the May 8, 2012, Primary Election, and through Oct. 30 for the November 6, 2012, General Election. This rule also applies to letters about a ballot initiative or proposal up for a vote.

As a side note to this election season, we will be suspending the column written by U.S. Representative Larry Kissell — which occasionally appears on this page — at least through the November election. The congressional seat is contested and we do not want to show favoritism to one candidate over another. Kissell’s column can still be viewed on the congressman’s own website.

Finally, the Richmond County Daily Journal reserves the right to edit all Letters to the Editor for length, style, grammar, inappropriate content and libel.

That does not mean that writers with strong views or espousing a particular philosophy will be excluded. But we would like the letters to be of general public interest. Complaints or compliments about businesses, individuals or groups that deal with private matters will not be used.

If we feel we cannot print your letter, we will contact you as to why. Please feel free to contact us, if we have not verified receipt of your letter within a few days.

We look forward to reading what you have to say — sincerely.

The Daily Journal has rich history of publishing Letters to Editor on a seemingly endless variety of topics, and we want to keep that tradition alive and well, so please: keep ‘em coming.