For weeks, candidate ads have dominated television viewing. Text messages and phone calls are nonstop. Yard signs are popping up like my late-season tomatoes.

Much of this messaging is for candidates who will serve in Washington, D.C., or in the State House. While that part of the ballot matters, the most direct, immediate impact on your daily life comes from local elections.

In small towns, people who are elected to the city council, school board, county board, and other local entities make decisions with a big impact. They decide the quality of the roads you drive on or the water you drink, what curricula are covered in school, when the pool is open in the summer, and how your tax dollars are spent.

Your voice matters. Your vote matters.

In our rural communities, often a small number of voters end up choosing local leaders. Sometimes the numbers come down to a single digit. These leaders decide on that pothole, a new fire truck, snow removal, or county road maintenance.

Before Nov. 3, review the ballot. Sample ballots are available on the county website or in your local newspaper. Ask questions. Listen to what candidates say. Look at what they have done.

You don’t need to know everything about every candidate. You don’t need to know everyone who is running personally. You need to pay attention.

On Election Day, when you fill in those circles, remember this is your vote. It doesn’t belong to your neighbor. It doesn’t belong to your family. You matter.

Make voting a priority this year.