The New York Times announced on Monday that it would no longer endorse candidates in local New York elections, effective immediately. “While elections everywhere remain critical to the lives and experiences of our audience, the editorial board is ceasing the endorsement process for New York elections … We remain a journalistic institution rooted in New York City, both historically, today and in the future,” Kathleen Kingsbury, the paper’s Opinion editor, said in a statement shared by CNN. The editorial board, which operates independently from the newsroom, is responsible for the decision. They will, however, continue their 164-year-long tradition of endorsing presidential candidates. The paper reports that they have weighed in on every NYC mayoral race since 1897 and have helped boost the profile of many candidates with their endorsement. While this change is new for the Times, the paper says it’s a move that many publications are making to further clarify facts from opinion.