Dear Editor,

I am writing to express deep disappointment in HopNews’ failure to publish the results of this year’s town elections—an omission that is glaring not only because of its absence but also because of your very different approach just one year ago.

Last year, HopNews promptly published the election results on the night of the vote and followed up with a podcast featuring the winners the very next day [as seen here: https://hopnews.com/clark-and-herr-earn-seats-on-the-select-board/]. That was timely, responsible local journalism. This year, your silence is deafening.

There has been no election night coverage, no result summary, and no platform for the voices of the winners or the voters who showed up. Why the change? The community deserves to know if this was an editorial oversight or something more troubling. When a news outlet selectively covers civic outcomes, it undermines public trust and suggests a bias in what gets shared and what gets buried.

Local elections are the foundation of our democracy. They deserve consistent, impartial coverage—regardless of who wins. Hopkinton residents rely on HopNews to be a credible source of community news. Your failure to report on this year’s elections damages that credibility and raises fair questions about editorial integrity and transparency.

I urge you to reflect on the standard you set last year—and explain why this year’s voters and candidates were not afforded the same attention and respect.

Sincerely,
Sravan Krishna
Hopkinton

Editor: Thank you for your feedback, Sravan. Yes, our election coverage was different this year. Peter Thomas, who owned HopNews last year, did an excellent job covering the 2024 election. I started at HopNews on September 1, 2024.

Last year’s election was more divisive, with the select board race drawing much more attention and a higher voter turnout. This year, things were calmer. Select Board meetings have become more efficient under Brian Herr’s leadership, and we haven’t faced the same controversial issues as last year. For that, I’m grateful.

I didn’t cover the Annual Town Meeting (ATM) at all because I was in the ER that night and had emergency surgery the following day. Thanks to Connor Degan, the ATM wrapped up in one night without any issues. By the time I could cover it, I deemed it too late. Perhaps that wasn’t the right decision, I don’t know.

I interviewed and wrote about all the candidates in the two contested races, with the exception of Frederick Mayer.

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I just published a short review of the select board race numbers, as it was the only contested race. It took a couple of days because I wanted to verify some new software. In hindsight, that may not have been the best decision; I’m still learning.

Last year, Peter’s podcast provided a platform for the winners after the race. Even if I had a podcast (I don’t), given this year’s anemic voter turnout, I doubt anybody would tune in for a post-race discussion.

“Local elections are the foundation of our democracy. They deserve consistent, impartial coverage—regardless of who wins.” I couldn’t agree more.

Finally, I respectfully disagree with your comment about bias in our coverage. At HopNews, we work hard to keep our reporting objective. If opinions are shared, they are marked as such. If you’d like to help cover the next election, let’s talk.

Paula Garland
Editor in Chief
HopNews