Tribune editorial staff

If local and state-level projections turn out to be accurate, only 35 percent of registered voters will go to the polls today.

It is a shame that a little more than one third of us will make decisions that will impact 100 percent of us.

This year is an ''off-year'' election because no state or national offices are up for grabs. However, we will elect mayors and councils who will determine our water and sewer rates, growth strategies, building codes, and other issues.

The township trustees we elect will decide which roads get paved in coming years. The township clerks we choose will make sure the books are in line. The boards of education members will hire our superintendents, teachers and non-classified personnel and will decide on policy that will directly affect our children.

We have fire levies in Elizabeth, Rome and Windsor townships. Voters there will have the opportunity to determine whether or not they want their fire departments to have funding in place to provide better services to the residents.

In South Point, residents will vote on a levy for current expenses in the village. Voters will have a say in whether their certain services such as police protection are going to stay at the current level or if village leaders have to find a way to fund these services with current money or make cuts.

Voters throughout the county will decide whether or not Collins Career Center's operational levy will be renewed.

And, as an Ohio resident, you will have a direct say on

financing the state's ''Third Frontier'' high-tech projects.

We have many important things to decide today, and these decisions should not be left up to less than one-third of the county's eligible voters.

If you have not voted yet today and are registered, please make it a point to get to the polls. The more voters we have casting ballots will make it more likely we, as a county, make the right decisions. Remember, you have until 7:30 p.m. this evening.