Star Tribune, the daily that serves Minnesota, will no longer endorse election candidates.  

The change takes place as the Star Tribune introduces a new opinion platform called Strib Voices.  

“Rather than issue candidate or ballot endorsements, we’re going to evaluate the key issues relevant to the most important contests, and offer readers a studied perspective on how they might view them at the ballot box,” writes Phil Morris, opinion editor and vice president at Star Tribune.  

Strib Voices encompasses “all of the opinion journalism of the Star Tribune, as well as a lot more commentary from people across Minnesota,” Morris continues. “Our goal is to make Strib Voices the best water cooler for local conversation in the country.”

To that end, Star Tribune is adding 11 new columnists, and is seeking new voices from throughout the state. 

The ceasing of endorsements is apparently part of a national trend. The New York Times announced earlier this week that it would stop endorsing local candidates. 

The Times will continue endorsing presidential candidates, as it has since 1860, the paper writes. But it will no longer take a position in Senate, congressional or state legislative races, and it will not endorse a candidate in next year’s New York City mayoral race, although it has done so in elections since 1897.   

And, The Baltimore Sun, which is under new ownership, will also stop making endorsements.