Voters here in West Virginia have significant decisions to make today at the ballot box. Don’t let your voice go unheard.

From the presidential election to control of Congress and the state Legislature, to a constitutional amendment and our next governor, secretary of state, auditor, treasurer and commissioner of agriculture, there is much on the ballot to consider.

That doesn’t even factor in the county-level races — county commission, assessor, sheriff, prosecuting attorney — and also some municipal races in select cities.

This much is clear: the choices made today will resonate in our state for years to come. Again, don’t let your voice go unheard. That’s happened far too often in the past.

During the 2020 general election, voter turnout statewide was 63.25%. A total of 802,726 ballots were cast of the 1.27 million registered voters. That means about 425,000 people did not vote!

The turnout was even worse in the 2016 general election. Then, 732,362 of the state’s 1.275 million registered voters cast a ballot — 57.4%.

If you look at the state as a whole, with about 1.8 million residents, in both 2016 and 2020 less than half of the state made decisions for everyone else. That’s simply unacceptable and shows a lack of civic engagement. Let’s hope we do better this election cycle.

We would advocate for every eligible voter to get out and do their civic duty and vote. It’s really that simple.

If you are a registered voter and haven’t already done so, vote.

Today.

Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Remember to take your ID.

If you’re not sure where to go, check here: https://apps.sos.wv.gov/Elections/Voter/FindMyPollingPlace.

It all starts with you. Ensure your voice is heard.

Vote.