Marching through election season, especially in recent years, has been hard.

It brings increasingly ugly candidate debates and divisiveness among political parties, along with voters. Advertisements embellish candidates’ accomplishments, or worse, tear down and sometimes (often) lie about opponents’ backgrounds. This is not to mention the lies and confusing interpretations all over social media created with the sole intent of triggering unrest and influencing votes.

Muddy waters become further clouded when seemingly everyone is a self-proclaimed expert on political issues.

Don’t get me wrong. This is America, and I am proud that we are free to share opinions publicly without fear of being silenced, censored or arrested. I’m thrilled that this newspaper today filled not one, but two, pages with readers’ letters, many sharing opinions on election topics. Well before this morning’s newspaper went to press, I personally read every single word of those letters — some with which I agreed and some of which I could only shake my head. But that’s OK, because that’s what shared, varied opinions in a forum like this are intended to do. I always say this newspaper’s position on issues should be the starting point for discussion, not the end point.

And when someone offers points that are educated, well-researched and rational, they are even more valuable — even (or especially) if you disagree but are willing to keep an open mind.

That’s why we do not pick and choose which letters we print based on the writer’s opinion. We sometimes are criticized by readers for publishing letters they might describe as far-fetched, embellished or inflammatory. To that I reply that it is never our goal to misinform or incite hatred, but rather to give everyone a voice so they may share their opinions and so readers might learn something — either that the writer has a point they never considered or that the writer’s opinion is dead wrong.

Now, we have come to a point in this election season, particularly regarding statewide Issues 1 and 2, where debate and discourse is hitting fever pitch.

Issue 1 is a state constitutional amendment that would guarantee “The Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety.”

Issue 2 is not a constitutional amendment, but would codify in the Ohio Revised Code commercializing, regulating and taxing the adult use of cannabis.

By now, I suspect most Ohioans have heard the debate, read opinion pieces that we have published in letters, op-eds and editorials and seen commercials.

It’s all is very confusing!

Many politicians and so-called experts have not been shy about expressing their feelings on these issues. Many have taken to “interpreting” the text of the issues, reading into it not just what the text says, but how they believe a judge would interpret it, should a case be challenged in court.

For instance, many have taken to discussing how Issue 1 will affect parental rights, even though the topic of parental rights appears nowhere in Ohio Issue 1. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost told the Capital Journal, “The amendment does not specifically address parental consent.”

Could it be interpreted the way Issue 1 opponents have been suggesting? Sure. But it also might not be. Frankly, no one can predict how a case would play out if it were challenged in court. That is never predictable, particularly based on the issue challenged in a civil complaint, on the court in which a case is challenged and then appealed to a higher court and then appealed again to the Supreme Court, either in Ohio or even in our nation, if warranted.

This is the point where I caution readers about voting without having read and becoming familiar with the verbiage in order to make an informed decision.

Our newspaper has offered opposing viewpoints. We have placed a 12-page insert into our newspaper print edition detailing the language of Issues 1 and 2. If you missed it, that special section will publish again Thursday. Pick up a copy. Or you can read the full ballot language here: https://www.ohiosos.gov/elections/voters/toolkit/sample-ballot/

I believe we have given our readers the tools to make an informed decision on Nov. 7. All you need to do is read it. I encourage you to do that before heading to the polls.