In today's newspaper you will find a lot of space dedicated to Tuesday's election.

We have more than 50 profiles and questionnaires of people running for local office. There are more than a handful of local races, including many races for school boards in our communities.

First, we would like to say thank you to all of those willing to run for office. By doing so, you have shown a willingness to enter the arena. You have educated yourselves on issues facing our schools and communities. You have indicated you are willing to make personal sacrifices for your community. Again, thank you.

Secondly, we would like to encourage everyone to vote. And voting begins with getting to know the issues and candidates. Today's edition is not the total of what we've done in covering this week's election. We have written several stories on races and issues in the past several weeks.

Tuesday's election is an easy one to overlook if you're not plugged into your local newspaper. This election isn't a national election. But this election is important, because it affects decisions that will be made close to home.

Thank you for reading your newspaper. And we hope you use it as a tool to choose wisely on Tuesday.