While the Trib has elected not to make candidate endorsements in the 2014 general election, we do have three recommendations: If you’re registered to vote, then do so — but only if you’re informed, which is our second recommendation. If you have not studied the candidates and the issues, take time to learn about both or do this republic a favor and just skip the electoral process.

Finally, only a putz votes straight-ticket. We haven’t seen a slate of party candidates yet, Republican or Democrat, that didn’t have some turkeys on it. And if you think voting straight-ticket ensures that one party’s nominees meet certain qualities, think again. Right here in McLennan County, we’ve seen straight-ticket voting put some absolutely incompetent people into offices of responsibility. When that happens, you’re to blame because you voted for them out of party loyalty, not merit or civic regard.

For those of us gray in temple, campaigns have changed significantly the past four decades. Many Republican nominees, confident of election solely by virtue of their having an “R” behind their names, whatever their qualifications, character or viewpoints, have increasingly ducked candidate debates and interviews with newspaper editorial boards, once considered all-American traditions. When they come to town now, they often speak to small groups of party loyalists, generally telling them what they want to hear.

In this camp, we put Republicans such as state Sen. Dan Patrick, who is running for lieutenant governor and has been blasted by some Republicans for misleading rhetoric on the campaign trail, and state Sen. Ken Paxton, who admitted violating state securities laws, a third-degree felony, and is ironically seen by some as a shoo-in for state attorney general. Amazing.

It’s not hard to understand this strategy of stumping among the faithful. Of the 1.9 million Texans who voted in the March primaries, only 560,033 voted in Democratic elections. Some Democrats have also practiced this behavior. Although gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis stopped in Waco long enough to shake hands with fellow Democrats at party headquarters, she never sat for an interview with the Trib just up the street. Who knows? Her answers on issues might have won her votes. (We didn’t land her opponent Greg Abbott, either.)

Although we have recommended no candidates this year, we have done Q&As with candidates in the Precinct 2 county commissioner race and district clerk race, plus individual candidates in other state and national races. They’re online — see them here. We’ve done this so that you can see what the candidates say in their own words. For other races, visit campaign websites or Facebook pages. Some of these offer plenty of information. Some offer plenty of nothing.

Early voting begins on Monday and continues through Halloween. You can also vote on Nov. 4. Visit McLennan County’s election page for a list of early voting sites. Just make sure you don’t put a hobgoblin in office.