“The future of this republic is in the hands of the American voter.”

Dwight D. Eisenhower

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Such has been the case ever since the experiment of the United States of America came to realization 223 years ago. The right of the citizens to vote, and the importance of casting such votes, is what separates this nation from so many in the history of time.

On Tuesday, Americans again will have the chance to exercise that right, to plot the direction this country will take. It’s a gift the founding fathers handed to every one of us, an idea that the people will dictate the course of the republic.

In Warren County, voters will choose a pair of members for the Vicksburg Warren School District Board of Trustees, as well as the race for the 2nd District U.S. House of Representatives seat, state Court of Appeals judge and Central District Justice Court judge.

The responsibility of the citizens of this area is of great importance. Choose to not vote, and the ability to criticize the government goes away with it.

We urge every citizen of Vicksburg and the surrounding areas to get to the polls on Tuesday. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. It takes a few minutes to vote, but the impact will last for years.

So many nations on Earth do not give their citizens the opportunity to do what we will do here on Tuesday. With freedom comes responsibility.

The foremost of those responsibilities is to vote.