As the April 4 consolidated election rapidly approaches, the Effingham Daily News is preparing questionnaires for candidates in contested races around the county. That can sometimes be tedious, as we poke around trying to find email addresses for those candidates.

That gives us a personal interest in legislation filed recently by State Rep. Anna Moeller, D-Elgin.

As our colleagues at the Daily Herald in Arlington Heights note, the proposed law would require candidates for political office to include email addresses on petitions filed with their statement of candidacy. Already, candidates provide a standard mailing address. This legislation would move that requirement into the 21st century.

We agree with Daily Herald: “For us in the news media, that means assured access to candidates, so reporters can cover their campaigns more accurately and thoroughly and media outlets can reach them for basic information, such as candidate questionnaires, that voters use to be more informed about their selections. That increased quantity of information is certainly valuable for you as a voter, and the increased access can allow you to interact with campaigns in ways that not only provide details about candidates’ positions but also enable candidates to interact with you in ways that help them refine and clarify their message.”

The latest action on the bill was on March 10, when it was referred to the House rules committee. So, it’s moving along.

We encourage legislators from our area to support this bill. And you should ask them to support it, too.

In the meantime, candidates who are on the ballot in contested races in Effingham County communities should email the editor at jeff.long@effinghamdailynews.com to make sure you get the questions we’re preparing. Include your phone number, address and the race you are running in. You could also include a headshot in jpg format, since we’ll be asking for one.

If you are running as a write-in candidate, you can submit a letter to the editor to the same email address.