For years as a young journalist and editor, I perpetuated a lie.

I can sense several of you smirking like I’m about to admit what you’ve always thought about my profession, but hold on, Betsy—this isn’t what you think it is. I’m not confessing to fabricating sources or making up quotes or secretly working for Big Crossword Puzzle.

No, the lie was much simpler and, I thought at the time, far more noble.

For years, it was my practice—and when I was a newsroom manager, the practice of all the editors I managed—to go out and vote on election day, then come back to the office and write about voter turnout. Without fail, I would comment on disappointingly low numbers and encourage people to get to the polls because everyone should have a voice in their government. As a recent example, Tuesday

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