We hope that many local voters who have already made their candidate selections will take advantage of early voting, which began Monday all over the state. For those of us who still need a little more time before casting our ballots, we hope the upcoming candidate forum will help in weighing the choices for local offices.

Next Thursday, Oct. 2, the 2008 Baldwin County Candidate Forum will be held at the Goldstein Center for Performing Arts on the Georgia Military College Campus. The event, sponsored by Georgia College & State University, The 100 Black Men of Baldwin County, the Exchange Club of Milledgeville, The Union-Recorder and the Milledgeville-Baldwin County Chamber of Commerce, is designed to inform voters about the issues and the candidates that will impact our area during the coming election.

By now we’ve all seen, heard and read about the candidates in this year’s presidential election. We’ve seen the advertisements and read about their platforms and their goals for America, but we may not be quite so familiar with those who are seeking office right here in our own county. The November election will not only determine who will be the next president of the United States, but also who will be making decisions regarding our schools and our county government.

With so many local posts up for election this year, how we vote and who we vote for could greatly impact our local community. With so many seats open this year and incumbents not seeking re-election for some positions, the impact of the decisions made by local voters in November could sway the direction and change the face of our boards of education and county commissioners.

Voters who have already made up their minds and are prepared to cast their ballots should take advantage of early voting, not only for their own personal convenience but also to help alleviate the crowd at the polls come Nov. 4. Many first-time voters are expected to take part in the election process this year, which could possibly add to delay at the polls due to their lack of voting experience, so this year’s earlier advance voting dates are certainly a great effort to ensure the integrity of the voting process by cutting down on the potential for election day confusion. But for those who are still undecided, particularly when it comes to local issues and local candidates, next week’s forum is a great way to brush up on the issues and hear where the candidates stand. Those who have already made up their minds are also encouraged to attend to find out more about the viewpoints of the rest of the candidates in the field — even those outside their own districts.

With so many issues of national interest at hand, it may be easy for some of us to lose focus on the local elections, but we can’t allow their importance to get lost in the shuffle. We must not forget that national issues such as the economy and rising gas prices have their impact first and foremost on us here at home — at the local level. These issues affect how we fund our schools, what local services we get delivered, and which jobs will come and go in our area. While ultimately these issues are most heavily decided in Washington and Atlanta, our local elected officials will decide how we navigate them here at home. Who we chose to hold our local posts come November will greatly impact our community. The stakes are high this election season not only at the national level, but here at home as well. What these local candidates have to say, and how they view the issues matters. Listen to their platforms, weigh the issues at next week’s forum, then decide at the polls. In the meantime, see the candidate insert in Friday’s edition of The Union-Recorder, which will provide a brief summary of each of the candidate’s experience and background. We’d also like to encourage the public to have their say in what questions the candidates will be asked at next week’s forum. E-mail us questions at ndavis@unionrecorder.com and we’ll incorporate topics and issues of interest from the public into the format next week.