Remember to vote

The clock is winding down and there’s less than a day left for people to vote in for the Nov. 6 general election. If ever there was a time for mugwumps to get off the fence, this is it.

This election, the people of the United States are choosing a president. The polls peg the race between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney as one of the tightest in history. That makes all those ballots sitting unmarked at home on election eve doubly important. Both men say they need every vote they can get, and they’re telling the truth.

The presidential contest is but one of many of vital importance to Oregonians, and to Union Countians. Another on the federal scene concerning us pits Greg Walden, incumbent U.S. Congressman of the Second District, against Joyce Segers, a Democrat and small-business owner from Bend. It’s high time to ask yourself whether it’s time for a change, and vote according to what you believe. In a day, the chance will be gone.

Battles are raging for state offices including Secretary of State, State Treasurer and Attorney General. Closer to home, Republican Bill Hansell is duking it out with Democrat Antone Minthorn for State Senator of District 29. We live in District 29, so we owe it to ourselves to make an informed choice.

There’s no end of important issues we have the right and privilege and the obligation to make choices about this Tuesday. State ballot measures? There’s a total of nine this year, ranging from  relaxation of marijuana laws to the establishment of privately owned casinos to the phasing out of inheritance taxes.

There’s still time, folks, to get out the voter pamphlets, read up, mark those ballots, and carry them to a drop box or the county clerk’s office. But a word of caution here: Don’t mail them, because they won’t get to the clerk in time to be counted.

Lost your ballot? That’s no excuse. Go to the clerk’s office before poll closing time Tuesday and they’ll make you a duplicate on the spot.

A mugwump, by the way, is a bird who sits on a fence with his mug on one side and his wump on the other, unable to decide which way to fly. Don’t be a mugwump. There’s too much at stake this year.