With exception of two election races, the final ballots in Warren County, the election is over so now it is time for the winners to get down to the business of moving Warren County forward.

Tuesday’s election had contested races in five countywide races and all five county supervisor posts were contested. Of the supervisors, four incumbents were elected to another term, while John Arnold, who defeated incumbent David McDonald in the Aug. 23 Republican runoff, will fill out the five-member board.

Sheriff Martin Pace, Circuit Clerk Shelly Ashley-Palmertree and Tax Assessor Angela Brown easily won re-election. Two races — tax collector and chancery clerk — are being decided with hand counts of absentee and affidavit ballots. The count is about halfway finished and is set to begin again on Monday.

We congratulate the winners, and also those who were unsuccessful in their campaigns. Except for a few instances, the races were run cleanly and with respect for each candidate. Candidates acted professionally.

Turnout for three forums to hear candidates speak before the election were dismal, but that did not reflect on the overall electorate turnout. In the county’s 22 precincts, 14,724 of a registered 30,771 voted in person, a more than 2,000 vote increase over the 2007 election, the last times these positions were up for grabs. The numbers were down from 2008, the presidential election that featured President Barack Obama. The turnout record came in 1996 — also a presidential election — when 72 percent of the registered county voters cast ballots.

The fact that 52.4 percent of the registered voters in Warren County did not cast a ballot is still alarming. Casting a vote takes a few minutes, and might include a few minor inconveniences and is of the utmost importance in choosing the future leaders.

Even contemplating 100 percent turnout is unrealistic. At the least, the registered voters in this county should shoot for the record of 72 percent. Whether elections are minor, off-year, or presidential, the importance of voting does not wane. It’s the one way to keep the wheels of our representative government turning.

The election is over. The posts are solidified. Work needs to be done.

Let’s not waste time.