By the end of the night, Lawrence County may have some new faces of leadership on its school boards, municipal councils and township trustee groups.

Or it may be many of the same people who were there before.

Either way, today, Nov. 3, 2009, is about two things: Making your voice heard and then finding the unity to bring sides together that were split only hours before.

Most of the men and women seeking one of the more than three dozen elected positions up for grabs are truly doing it for the right reasons. We have to believe that, otherwise it would be a very cynical and pessimistic view of the world and of Lawrence Countians.

Do some have personal agendas or seek some sort of personal gain? Probably, the simple law of averages would make you think so. But that is almost assuredly the exception rather than the rule.

So go vote today. Polls are open until 7:30 p.m. There is likely still time. Choosing those who represent us, from the smallest local race to the largest national election, is the foundation of democracy on which our nation is founded.

Secondly, if your candidate doesn’t win, find some common ground with those who did. Ultimately, the winning candidates will be the ones who voters have chosen in any given race.

If we allow them, elections can become divisive in our communities, often more of a problem with supporters of individual candidates than those actually seeking the offices.

Today should be about making a choice but also about rallying around whomever takes the seats.