Celebrate our hard won freedoms -- vote Tuesday

Politics is always in the news. If it's not an election year, it's an off election year. No matter. The political parties and we as citizens always find something to talk about.

That's part of the process of keeping everyone informed and involved in the discussion of issues that affect each of us.

There are a bevy of local races coming up Tuesday, April 2.

School board candidates for Nevada, NEVC, Sheldon, El Dorado Springs and Rich Hill, city candidates for Bronaugh, Nevada, Sheldon, Schell City and Walker, village candidates for Deerfield, Harwood, Metz, Milo, Richards and Stotesbury, consolidated public water safety supply districts 1 and sub-districts 4 and 5, the Vernon County Ambulance District sub-district 3, a city question for Schell City, a question on the county use tax, and a school bond issue for El Dorado Springs are all on tap.

Because these positions don't carry the weight of the highest levels of government, we may think that these elections aren't important.

Yet the upcoming races Tuesday will have a decided impact, from roads to schools to the direction of our communities' future.

These volunteers will regularly face issues involving our community's financial and infrastructure challenges, and our children and our school systems. Their decisions will play a key role in our quality of life, our future economic prosperity, and in our community pride.

Grappling with budgets and funding, districting, leadership, and state and federal mandates, can tax the stoutest of constitutions.

It's important that we voters weigh our decisions carefully. We have an obligation to learn all we can about the issues and the candidates' stances.

The Daily Mail contacted candidates and has been running profiles of those who responded.

It's easy to criticize but if you choose not to vote, you will have thrown away your ability to change what you don't like or to support what and whom you do like.

Few countries enjoy our freedoms, freedoms that have come at a high cost. The least we can do is take the time to be informed and vote.