All right, Mid-Ohio Valley, today is the day. If you have not taken advantage of early voting already, this is your chance to weigh in on decisions that have drawn interest from those outside our borders and some that will have a far more direct impact on your daily lives than what is happening in Charleston or Washington, D.C.

Some of the votes you cast will shape the races in November — and if you have any doubt about the importance of making sure YOU are shaping those races, as opposed to political operatives with their own agendas — the efforts to affect the narrative in recent weeks should tell you how important YOU are. Make up your own mind about who will best represent you and your community; and uplift West Virginia.

If you need a refresher on the decisions you’ll be making in your precinct, check here before you head out: https://wv.omniballot.us/sites/54/ballot/app/sb/vr. If you stumble across names or issues with which you are not familiar, do a little homework before you go vote.

When you’re ready, make sure you’re headed to the right place. Check that here: https://apps.sos.wv.gov/Elections/Voter/FindMyPollingPlace.

Polls open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. That is your window of opportunity to make sure a very small percentage of the voting population does not decide for you. Whether you are comfortable with the status quo and hope to maintain it, or are ready to tear it all down and build it back up again, THIS is your means to that end.

Posts made on your favorite social media platform don’t count. Casting your ballot does.

Don’t be left out. Prepare yourself to make informed decisions, then head to the polls and add your voice to those shaping our region’s, state’s and country’s future.