If you’re looking for information about who’s on your ballot next week, you’ve come to the right place. We have a special pull-out section this week with a little bit of biographical information about everyone running for office in Gloucester and Mathews counties. And, as you can see from that section, that’s a lot of people.

If you want to make sure that you’re registered to vote, and find the location of your polling place, visit https://vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation. Not only will it tell you that, but it will also include contact information for your registrar, a list of the county’s electoral board members and a record of your voting history, dating back more than a decade.

However, if you want someone to tell you who to vote for, you’ll have to look elsewhere. There are plenty of people out there who are willing to help you with this. Just turn on the TV or drive down the road past campaign signs, and you’ll get your fill of that. But we’d rather let you research the candidates and issues yourself and draw your own conclusion about who the best man, or woman, for the office may be.

Voting gives us a chance to hold our elected officials accountable and to chart the future course for our community, our state and nation. The system works best when each of us takes the time to make an informed choice. It’s a heavy responsibility, and one we citizens shouldn’t take lightly. But that responsibility must not dissuade us from taking part in this most fundamental political exercise. Every voter can take pride in casting their ballot on Tuesday. And, if your candidate doesn’t win next week … there’s always next time.