After nearly two years of campaigning, it’s almost hard to believe that we’ll soon decide who will be the next president of the United States. As if having input in determining who will take over the Oval Office come January isn’t energizing enough for Georgia voters, beginning Monday, the citizens of our state have the added convenience of being able to cast their ballots earlier than ever before this election cycle.

With the November election still a weeks away, a new state law will allow Georgians to vote in advance for an extended period thus enabling citizens to avoid long lines and an additional wait on Nov. 4.

Voters will be able to cast ballots without providing a reason at their county registrar’s office under a new state law, Senate Bill 387.

Those who wish to cast ballots in November still have time to register too — the deadline is Oct. 6, and absentee voting ballots are available up until Nov. 2 as long as the registrar’s office receives the ballot by 7 p.m. on Election Day.

A record-setting voter turnout is expected for this historic voting season, and Georgia leaders are wise to prepare for the hectic rush of first-time voters by enacting this new piece of legislation. Now that state leaders have followed through on their responsibility of shoring up our state’s voting process to ensure that we all get the opportunity to take part in the election process as smoothly and efficiently as possible, it’s our turn as voters.

Making it easier to vote makes it even harder for us to come with an excuse not to. Having the opportunity to vote earlier also places a greater responsibility on us to weigh our decisions carefully. Voting early is an added convenience — but it’s not a requirement. Voters who are still undecided should take the additional time before casting their ballot. This election year is too important to make rash decisions.

With the current state of the economy, high gas prices, health care concerns and a host of other issues that affect us on the local, state and national level, there is certainly a lot at stake this election year, and there’s certainly a lot for voters to think about. We’ve stressed the importance of voting in previous editorials, and the same message still rings true — the election process is too important for any eligible voter to bypass.

While it’s certainly great that we have the added convenience this year to be able to vote earlier than before, and it will help alleviate confusion at the polls come Nov. 4, voters should take the time to be informed about the issues and where each of the candidates — on the local, state and national level stand. After all, we’ve listened to presidential stump speeches for almost two years, so an additional wait of a few days to finalize a decision in an effort to feel confident about the choice certainly won’t hurt.

On Nov. 4, our nation will make history by either electing the first female vice president or the first African-American president of the United States. But, we mustn’t get too caught up in the historical nature of the moment and forget the magnitude of the issues by casting our ballots based solely on the setting historical precedent. And let’s not forget the issues that will be decided on the state and local level as well — there are school board, county commission, coroner and state judgeships that must be decided.

One way or another, history will be made come November, and Baldwin County voters should definitely take part in the process by exercising their right to vote. But beyond that, local voters should remember that a vote that has thought behind it carries the most important weight of all.