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If you haven't been paying attention, things are really starting to heat up as we are preparing to determine what candidates will appear on the ballot Nov. 5 when the most important election in our lifetime is held.
In reality, that phrase needs to be applied every time voters go to the polls. Whether we are being asked to choose a township trustee, a ward councilperson, the mayor of our community, a county commissioner or to approve a tax for pay for community services, the choices that are made will have a direct impact on the issues that most closely affect our lives.
That's often forgotten, though, in a year like this one, when Americans will choose their next president.
And while it seems that the campaigning for that job never really stops, it will kick into high gear on Monday, when the Iowa Caucuses are held.
They have a special place in the political season, with the series of small meetings around the state traditionally awarding the first delegates on the road to securing a party nomination at the national convention.
It's the same this year, sort of: While Republicans will follow the traditional format, the Democrats will work on party business, with the delegates awarded at the end of a mail-in voting process that won't become final until March 5.
Ohio's primary is scheduled for March 19, while West Virginia's primary will be held May 14.
Presidential politics will continue to have a prominent place in discussion throughout the Tri-State Area, but that does not lessen the importance of what are shaping up to be some interesting local races.
We know, for instance, that there will be a change in the Jefferson County Courthouse when it comes to the Jan. 2 commissioners' seat. It's a race that took off on Nov. 27 when longtime Republican Commissioner Dave Maple announced that he would not seek re-election to the post he has held since 2005.
Raymond Freund of Bloomingdale and Ron Kleineke of Richmond are seeking the Republican nomination for the seat.
Whoever wins in March will be facing Thomas "Bo" Graham of Steubenville, who is unopposed on the Democrat side, in the general election. Graham, a 20-year veteran of the board of commissioners, did not seek re-election in 2022.
Republican Tony Morelli is unopposed in seeking his party's nomination for the Jan. 3 seat. As of Friday, there was no candidate listed in that race on the Democrat ballot.
Also on the Republican ballot, Andrew Plesich of Steubenville will be unopposed in seeking his party's nomination for clerk of courts. Also unopposed on the GOP ticket are incumbent Recorder Scott Renforth of Toronto and incumbent Coroner Michael A. Scarpone of Blomingdale, with Brian J. Scarpone seeking the treasurer's spot.
On the Democrat side, incumbent county Prosecutor Jane Hanlin of Toronto is unopposed on the primary ballot, while Candy Newburn of Toronto is listed as a write-in candidate for her party's nomination in the clerk of courts race.
The deadline to file as a write-in candidate has passed -- it was Jan. 8 -- but there's still plenty of time to file as an independent candidate for the November election -- that deadline does not hit until 4 p.m. March 18.
All residents of Jefferson County will have the chance to vote on a 1.2-mill, five-year replacement levy for senior services, while those who live in areas served by the TEMS Joint Ambulance District will be able to vote a 2-mill continuing replacement levy for emergency services, and Knox Township residents will vote on a 0.5-mill, four-year additional levy to cover current expenses.
Longtime U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson's decision to resign his seat on Jan. 21 in order to become the next president at Youngstown State University means the March 19 primary will look a little different. There actually will be two primary choices. One will be to determine the nominees who will advance to the June 11 special election which will decide who will fill the remainder of the term, and one to determine who will advance to Nov. 5 election and be elected to the seat beginning in 2025.
The filing deadline for the special election runs until Friday.
Early voting for the primaries begins Feb. 21, and runs through 5 p.m. on March 17. For the June 11 special election, early voting will begin 14.
None of the discussion about the candidates and the issues will mean anything, though, if you are not registered to vote.
And if you have not completed that simple task and want to vote in the primary elections, you have until Feb. 20 to do so. If you just want to wait for the general election in November, the deadline will be Oct. 7
Whether you are the type of voter who never misses an election or the kind who only casts a ballot in a presidential year, it's important that your voice is heard. Learn about the candidates and the issues and get out and vote -- make sure your voice is heard.
(Gallabrese, a resident of Steubenville, is executive editor of the Herald-Star and The Weirton Daily Times.)