When a newspaper offers endorsements in an election, it does so knowing there will be those who are upset by the selections. We wish it weren’t the case, but it’s human nature.

Such has been some of the reaction from the endorsements we offered in Sunday’s edition on the Selma municipal elections set for Aug. 28.

There have been those who have taken the lack of an endorsement as personal, while others have simply dismissed them. We understand.

Newspapers have a history of offering endorsements as a way of offering an unbiased take on politics. Whether or not those who read the endorsements are perceived as such, is — as they say — in the eye of the beholder.

In the end, an endorsement is simply the newspaper’s opinion.

In the case of the Times-Journal’s endorsements Sunday, we worked to stress why we offered an endorsement of a candidate, rather than why not to vote for another candidate.

The reason for such a tone in the editorials was to provide all the candidates running for office the honor and respect they deserve.

Whether or not we endorsed a candidate does not reflect on what we feel about the candidates personally. Each are fine people, who have put their lives in the public spotlight and for that we should be thankful.

In our representative form of government, we depend on citizens — every day citizens — stepping forward to take a leadership role. It is at that moment — when they step forward — that they begin to be scrutinized, questioned and, on election day, judged.

As we have said in editorials before, we applaud those who would take that step — rather, take that leap — and throw their name in the political ring.

Our endorsements are a part of our community mission and we take such a responsibility very seriously.

We truly appreciate those candidates who took part in the questionnaires and those who sat in for interviews.

Over the past weeks, the candidates have been putting forth all the work, now it shifts to the voters. It’s important those voters now spend the final days of the campaign gathering as much information on each candidate and their positions.