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No one should question the importance of today's municipal primary election.
Because it is centered primarily on offices that are closest to the people, all registered voters should regard it as equal in relevance to balloting when state and federal legislative nominations are at stake, for example.
Do not be fooled by anyone who might suggest that it will not really matter if you opt not to visit your polling place on this important day -- that is, if you have not already cast your ballot via mail-in or absentee voting
Your vote today could make the difference whether a better candidate is nominated, or one who is less prepared and less knowledgeable regarding the issues facing your municipality.
"Nominated" is the key word.
Today, the Republican and Democratic parties will select their candidates who will move on to the general election in November, where they will compete against one another. The nominating process is just as important as the actual exercise of electing someone to serve in whatever the position up for grabs.
A mistake by voters in the nominating process can have long-term negative ramifications.
For any election, primary or general, it is important that registered voters pay attention to what the candidates have been saying -- or not saying -- leading up to the balloting. That is the key to making intelligent, responsible choices when marking a ballot.
However, probably the most discouraging aspect of any primary election is the fact that, for some offices, there either are no candidates on the ballot for certain offices or there is no actual competition for the office.
The only non-local choices voters are being asked to make today involve the state's Supreme, Superior and Commonwealth courts.
There also are four ballot questions, three dealing with proposed constitutional amendments and one, a statewide referendum dealing with loans for municipal fire and emergency medical services companies.
Even if you are not excited about the candidates vying for certain municipal offices, you should be committed to helping decide the fate of the four important questions -- all of which contain provisions that could impact you directly at some time in the future.
But the offices on the ballots today are very important nonetheless.
In Altoona, besides helping in the nominating process for the countywide offices of district attorney, sheriff and prothonotary and clerk of courts, voters will be selecting nominees for the city council, school director, constable and election judge and inspector.
On the township level, offices such as supervisor, auditor, tax collector, constable, school director, magisterial district judge and election judge and inspector will be before the voters, in addition to the countywide and state judicial offices and ballot questions.
For the county's boroughs, voters not only will be making the state judicial and ballot question decisions, but also important nominating decisions involving mayoral and council positions, school director seats, constable and election judge and inspector.
The most important things today are to ignore anyone who tries to downplay the importance of your vote, being discouraged about politics in general and not being prepared for the task that will be before you.
Be upbeat about your personal role and responsibility in the election process. That role is vital regarding your community's and state's future.