Go vote!

TODAY IS THE PRIMARY ELECTION, and while it might not attract the widespread attention and participation of a presidential race, what happens today holds the potential to most personally affect area residents. That’s because voters will begin the process of electing local leaders who will be charged with establishing policies and overseeing operations of municipalities, local school districts, county row offices and magisterial district judge offices. In terms of municipal races, voters will — based on party affiliation — choose candidates for the fall general election. The process differs in school board races because, in an effort to remove politics from the education of children, candidates may crossfile and simultaneously seek nominations from both the Republican and Democratic parties. It is true that decisions by the president, Congress, state Legislature and the governor affect all citizens — especially through taxation, and in recent years, health care, but mostly they are in more general ways. The decisions of local leaders affect us personally, whether they involve police coverage levels, the addition or subtraction of educational programs or even the right to raise chickens in your backyard. Through zoning, local leaders determine what types of businesses can operate near our homes and schools, and school directors are charged with providing suitable protection for children in their districts. The list goes on and on, covering everything from road maintenance to recreation to school transportation. State and federal grants are available for revitalization efforts, but municipal leaders must put people in place to obtain the money, and elected officials ultimately are responsible for properly spending such money. Most importantly, we entrust elected municipal and school board leaders with our local tax dollars. That alone is a heavy burden. All of that said, it is important to go out and vote today, and to revisit the polls Nov. 4 for the general election. As always, the freedom to vote provides us with our respective opportunities to participate in government.