Our endorsement for president of the United States drew more online reader comments than any item ever published on our Website, pressherald.com. And that points to the primary reason why we make endorsements.

Our goal is not to tell you how to vote, but to give you our best thinking and start a conversation. A reader can just as easily learn our reasons for endorsing a candidate and decide to vote the other way as support the candidate we choose. For instance, in our endorsement for president this year, we cited Sen. Barack Obama's plan to lower taxes on the middle class and raise them for the wealthy as a positive quality. If someone doesn't believe in that approach to taxation, however, they may use that information as justification for voting for Sen. John McCain.

Each election cycle, we take on dozens of races. Our policy is to endorse in contests for the following: president of the United States, governor of Maine, U.S. Senate and House seats from Maine, Cumberland County races, contests for the Maine House and Senate where the district includes a portion of our home city of Portland, Portland City Council and Portland School Committee.

We also make endorsements in statewide referendum questions, Cumberland county referenda and questions put before the voters of Portland. Occasionally, if there is a local referendum question with regional or statewide implications, we'll weigh in there as well.

The point is, these are just our opinions, meant to give perspective. The real choices are up to you, the voters. Below is a listing of our endorsement decisions for the Nov. 4 elections. We hope this is helpful, no matter how you decide to cast your ballot.

President of the United States
Barack Obama, Democrat

U.S. Senate
Susan Collins, Republican

U.S. House, Maine 1st District
Chellie Pingree, Democrat

U.S. House, Maine 2nd District
Michael Michaud, Democrat

Cumberland County Commission, District 1
James Cloutier, Democrat

Cumberland County Commission, District 2
Nancy Larsen, Republican

Cumberland County, Register of Probate
Teri McRae, Republican

Maine Senate, District 8
Justin Alfond, Democrat

Maine Senate, District 9
Joseph Brannigan, Democrat

Maine House, District 113
Joan Cohen, Democrat

Maine House, District 114
David Fernald, Republican

Maine House, District 115
Stephen Lovejoy, Democrat

Maine House, District 116
Charles Harlow, Democrat

Maine House, District 117
Anne Haskell, Democrat

Maine House, District 118
Jon Hinck, Democrat

Maine House, District 119
Herbert Adams, Democrat

Maine House, District 120
Peter Doyle, Republican

Portland City Council, At-Large
Edward Suslovic

Portland City Council, District 5
Naomi Mermin

Portland School Committee, At Large
Elizabeth Holton

Portland School Committee. District 4
Justin Costa (write-in)

Portland School Committee, District 5
Marnie Morrione (write in)

Maine Question 1, beverage tax repeal
Yes

Maine Question 2, Oxford County casino
No

Maine Question 3, water and sewer bond
Yes

Portland question to form a charter commission
Yes