Today in Ohio, voters will be casting ballots in a primary election that could have extraordinary consequences — both immediately and in November — from our schools and town halls all the way to Washington, D.C.

Polls open at 6:30 a.m. and will not close until 7:30 p.m. If you have not yet checked your voter registration and polling place, do so before you head out to vote. You can do that here: https://voterlookup.ohiosos.gov/voterlookup.aspx, and here: https://www.ohiosos.gov/directories/find-my-polling-location.

Turnout in both Trumbull and Mahoning counties was initially projected to be lower than normal, and those numbers were tweaked downward even more last week. That is sometimes the case in primaries during nonpresidential election years, when voters often seem largely uninterested.

Election officials are now projecting about a 20% turnout today. That means that 80% of us are ignoring their civic duties and also missing out on a chance to have an impact on November’s general election.

Primary elections are our opportunity to steer our political parties in the direction WE want; as opposed to the general election, where those who prefer to vote a party line have their hands tied. The more who participate in primaries, the greater the chance a less extreme, more representative candidate will be chosen.

Meanwhile, primaries are often the final decision-making opportunity for smaller local elections, such as school boards and ballot issues. Do not let a very small percentage of the voting population make decisions for you on the people and issues that will most affect your family and community.

Speaking out on social media does not count toward a candidate’s or issue’s vote total. Getting to your polling place and casting a ballot does.

If you feel strongly about the importance of change (or the importance of maintaining the status quo), today is your last chance to do something about it. Get out there. Make a difference. Vote.