The Estes Valley Voice believes informed civic dialogue strengthens our community. Our Letters to the Editor section provides readers with an opportunity to share perspectives, raise concerns, and contribute to conversations about issues that affect life in the Estes Valley.
As a hyperlocal news organization, our primary focus is on the people, events, organizations, businesses, and governments that shape our community. While decisions made in Denver, Washington, D.C., and around the world often affect Estes Park, we view those issues through a local lens and seek to understand how they impact residents here at home.
As a small-town publication with limited resources, we work hard to cover the news that matters most to our readers. For that reason, we give priority to letters that address local issues, local policies, local events, and matters of community concern.
With Colorado’s primary election taking place this month, the fall midterm election a little more than four months away, and several significant local issues on the horizon—including aging infrastructure, utility rate increases, wildfire concerns, workforce housing, and potential sales tax proposals—we anticipate increased community discussion and a greater number of Letters to the Editor.
We welcome thoughtful, fact-based contributions that help inform public understanding and encourage constructive dialogue about the challenges and opportunities facing the Estes Valley.
We encourage letters of 400 words or fewer. If you would like to submit a longer commentary or guest opinion piece, please email us first to discuss your topic and publication timing.
Click here to read more about the purpose, mission, values, goals, and policies of the Estes Valley Voice.
Guidelines for Submitting a Letter
Email your letter directly.
Send your letter in the body of an email to news@estesvalleyvoice.com. Please do not submit letters as PDF attachments, as they require additional formatting before publication.
Lead with your main point.
State your most important point in the opening paragraph. Focus on a single issue or policy and make one or two clear, concise arguments.
Make it local and relevant.
Connect your letter to an issue affecting the Estes Valley, a recent community event, a public policy discussion, or an article published by the Estes Valley Voice.
Support your viewpoint.
Whenever possible, use local facts, data, personal experiences, or examples to illustrate your point and strengthen your argument.
Identify yourself.
The Estes Valley Voice does not publish anonymous letters or letters submitted under pseudonyms. We will verify the identity of all letter writers.
Skip formal greetings and closings.
There is no need to begin with “Dear Editor” or end with “Sincerely.” We will publish your name and community of residence with your letter.
Protecting your privacy.
We require your phone number for verification. We publish a writer’s name and community (for example, Jane Smith, Estes Park), but we do not publish street addresses, phone numbers, or email addresses.
Opinions are welcome; facts matter.
Readers may hold differing viewpoints, but to publish your opinion, we require claims stated as facts to be accurate and verifiable. We encourage writers to build their arguments on facts rather than misinformation or rumors.
Be civil and respectful.
Passionate disagreement is part of healthy public discourse. Personal attacks, name-calling, inflammatory rhetoric, and partisan screeds do little to advance understanding and may result in a letter being rejected or edited.
The Estes Valley Voice reserves the right to edit letters for grammar, style, and legal concerns. Submission of a letter does not guarantee publication.
We welcome thoughtful, respectful contributions and look forward to hearing from members of our community.