Today is election day. Every year, regardless of whether the ballot is full of big national names or relatively anonymous local offices, on this day I tell everyone within reach of this page to get out to your local polling place (find it here!) and cast your ballot, because it’s your duty and privilege as a citizen to do so.

Why do I do it? Because it’s something I believe in very strongly. America likes to call itself the Greatest Country in the World™, and some days, I even believe we might be. However, one thing we’re not terribly good at is citizen participation. It seems everybody in America has an opinion on everything and an overwhelming drive to express it. However, we have pathetic, dismal voter turnout numbers compared to the rest of the world, civilized or otherwise. We talk a big game, but when given an opportunity for our opinion to actually count for something that matters, most of eligible Americans sit it out.

I think that’s a problem. People need to get informed (I’ll not get into what I think “informed” ought to mean here) on issues and candidates, and participate in our participatory democracy (actually, we’re a constitutional republic, but agaiin, let’s not quibble). Literally, the easiest thing someone can do to be a part of our grand social experiment is to register and show up at the polls once a year.

This year, in America, no matter where you are, your district’s seat in the House of Representatives is on the ballot. That person is your most direct representitive in the national legislative discussion. One third of the country is also voting for one of its Senators. 36 states are electing governors. My ballot also has one local office (Clerk of Courts) and a statewide ballot initiative for an amendment to the state constitution. Yours may vary, but it’s all important stuff that affects you (and local elections, while often ignored, are often have the most tangible impact on your day-to-day life). So, it’s important that you have your say in who represents you, and that you know who they are so you can praise them when they do so rightly, or take them to task when they do something you disagree with.

Plus, you know….voting is sexy.

So. Go out and vote today. I don’t really care who you vote for (though if you ask for my opinion, I’ll certainly give it to you), but I do care, very deeply, that you get out there and do it.