Letters Policy

The Appeal-Democrat publishes letters to the editor to help foster discussion and timely debate on topics of local interest. We ask writers to follow these guidelines:

• Keep it short, meaning 300 words or less. That's roughly equal to a single page of type, double-spaced. Shorter letters receive preference.
• Letters should be factually accurate and reflect the original thoughts of a single writer. Letters should be addressed to the editor, not to another person, and address a single topic of local interest.
• Please be patient. In general, letters are published in the order they are received. One letter per writer per month.
• We reserve the right to edit all letters for length, libel, clarity, accuracy, grammar and punctuation. Some letters may be returned for revision.
• Opinion articles of up to 600 words may be published on the op-ed page. For details, contact the newsroom at ADLetters@appealdemocrat.com.
• Letters dealing with private disputes or containing criticism of private individuals or businesses are not published.
• If a topic has been thoroughly debated, subsequent letters on that topic may not be published.
• E-mail submission is preferred at ADLetters@appealdemocrat.com, or click here to submit your letter online.
• You also can send letters to 1530 Ellis Lake Drive, Marysville, CA 95901; or fax them to 741-0140.
• For verification, please include your full name, signature, full address and daytime telephone number. Only the name and city of residence will be published, plus an e-mail address if requested. Letters from our readership area — Yuba, Sutter, Colusa and Butte counties — are given preference. 
• We don't publish form letters, petitions, solicitations for groups or organizations, remembrances, poetry, religious tracts, quotations, business endorsements or anonymous letters.
• Letters express the views of their writers, not those of this newspaper or its employees.
• Registered users of www.appeal-democrat.com may post comments at any time on news stories, opinion columns, editorials, reader forums and blogs.
• Online comments aren't subject to the same restrictions as letters, but they must follow our Web user agreement.
• Political letters are subject to additional guidelines, which are posted here and published periodically on the Opinion page.
• All items submitted to the Appeal-Democrat for publication become the property of the newspaper and are subject to reuse, in whole or part, in print, electronic formats and archives.