A respected area politician recently noted how much attention voters pay to presidential elections and how little they pay to local elections. Yet, he said, decisions made on the local level affect us much more directly and personally than most decisions made by the president.

That’s why we urge voters in The Mirror’s readership area to go to the polls next week to participate in the elections.

In Tonganoxie and Linwood, voters will elect a mayor and city council members. School board seats are up for grabs in the Tonganoxie, Basehor-Linwood and McLouth districts.

Those candidates elected to office next week will make decisions that directly affect each and every one of us the next four years. That’s reason enough to be sure to vote.