It’s time. It’s the first Tuesday in November, and the time has come for folks across the nation to step into polling booths and make a difference.

History will be made in this election, regardless of the outcome for Democrats and Republicans. Some seats will turn over, as folks fed up with their representation in Washington cast their votes for change. Some representatives will be returned to power, as citizens affirm their satisfaction with the work that has been done in the nation’s capital on their behalf.

Will Republicans make record-breaking advances in the face of widespread discontent, or will Democrats emerge victorious in legislative races that vindicate their actions in Congress for the past two years? You will help make that determination when you cast your vote.

Locally, eight candidates are vying for seats on the Suffolk City Council. A like number seek positions on the city’s School Board. The final results will not make headlines on the cable news channels, but the races are no less important for their lack of national news value.

What should be the priorities in Suffolk during the next four years? Should there be two schools to replace the aging elementary facilities in the southern part of the city, or should students from Whaleyville and Holland be bussed to a single, central location? What sorts of economic and residential development are the most proper for a city of Suffolk’s size and character?

You will decide with the votes you cast today. Or you will let others decide with the votes they cast as you sit at home or find some other reason to stay away from the polls.

Election Day is an annual confirmation of the power that the people have in this great republic. But that power only exists insofar as it is exercised. Learn something about the candidates who wish to represent you, both in Suffolk and in Washington. And then vote. Nothing will connect you more directly to the Great American Experiment.