Choose most qualified, not most similar, candidates
Election Day on Tuesday will undoubtedly be one of the most historic in our country's history.

It is more important than ever that registered voters go to the polls in large numbers during these tumultuous economic times. From the federal government down to the local level, all of the races are important because each elected official serves the community at large in some way.H

owever, voters must do their homework and make sure that the candidates they choose are qualified and are not just meeting their personal affiliations. With a minority and a female on opposing presidential tickets, the national campaigns have subtly urged voters to base their allegiance on their own social, ethnic, political background and/or gender. There is no rule that says a minority must vote for a fellow minority, or that a male cannot vote for a female, or that every Republican must vote down the party line — or vice versa.

It is our constitutional right to vote, and we must all exercise that right next week. Voters choices should be based on the issues, and the views that candidates have presented in newspaper articles, in person and on their Web sites. Residents should be careful not to get caught up in all of the media hype or political spinning that is consistent with most election campaigns.

One of the most important tasks as a citizen of the United States is to exercise our right to a democracy and to freely choose those whom we want to govern our towns, county, state and country. Once you are inside the voting booth, no one else knows who your selections are, so be true to yourself and fair to this country and make a proper decision based on who is the most qualified person to lead us until the next election. Then, we may receive the change we are hoping for.