Nov. 6, 2012 — Today is Election Day — the moment of decision for the people of our city, our county, our state and our great land finally has arrived, the day when the people’s voice is heard and heeded, and we decide who will serve as our elected officials, and we set the course of our public policy.

Today is the day the people express their will.

Barack Obama and Mitt Romney face each other in the presidential race, each offering quite different perspectives and views on the proper course to be steered by the ship of state. Despite the seemingly ever-widening gap between the two candidates and the direction in which they believe we should travel, one of them will be elected president of these United States today, based upon our votes.

Closer to home, Lassen County Supervisor Brian Dahle and Redding City Councilman Rick Bosetti, both Republicans, seek the newly redrawn first assembly seat in the state legislature. Each side has accused the other of dirty politics. It’s a historic race — the first time in the First Assembly District that two candidates from a single party — the top two vote getters in the June primary election — will face each other as provided by the new state law. Which man will represent us in the state house come January? The people will decide.

Right here in Lassen County a bitter battle rages over who will serve as Lassen County Superior Court Judge. Lassen County District Attorney Robert Burns faces Susanville attorney Tony Mallery. These two men also offer different ideas regarding the direction the court should follow. Which man ultimately will sit on the bench? The people will decide.

The Lassen Library District seeks approval of a $28 per year assessment on each inhabitable building within the county to help fund the library. It’s called Measure W. City of Susanville residents already pay this tax. It’s up to the voters in the county to approve or disapprove this new assessment. Since it is a new tax, a 2/3 vote will be required for it to be approved.

Once again, the people will decide.

Other local issues and races include Measure V, a special tax for the Spalding Community Services District, the Lassen County Board of Education, the Lassen Community College Board of Trustees, the Lassen High School Board of Trustees, the Shaffer School Board of Trustees and the fire director for the Susan River Fire District.

In their wisdom, the Founding Fathers gave us the right to vote. While granting citizens the right to vote does not obligate them to exercise that right, the newspaper believes voting is a vital duty of citizenship. Taxation without representation was one of the biggest bones of contention between the Founding Fathers and the dread English sovereign, King George III. The Founding Fathers were so dedicated to the cause they waged a bloody war of revolution, threw off the yoke of English servitude and established a new republic dedicated to the ideals of freedom and representative democracy. Brave men and women from our country have fought and died defending these freedoms we all enjoy.

Our form of government works best when the people participate, and that means voting today.

Let your voice be heard. If you vote at a polling place, you may vote between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. If you use a vote-by-mail ballot, your ballot must be turned in to the county clerk at any polling place or at the clerk’s office in the historic courthouse by 8 p.m.

Voting is the foundation of our freedom. Your vote makes a difference and every vote counts. Do your part — vote today.