It should still be a thrill to cast a vote

Think back to when you turned 18. It was the age that marked your passage into adulthood.

And, at 18, you were deemed to be mature enough, responsible enough, smart enough to be trusted with one of the most powerful decision-making tools in a democracy: the right to vote.

Wasn't it a thrill, to gain that power?

If it was, it became less so through the years for many. For too many.

Voter turnout is not always as strong as it should be in a country that picks its leaders at the ballot box. People who will decide how much you will be taxed and how those tax dollars will be spent. People who will decide if we will send our young men and women to war. People who must be counted on to protect our civil liberties and keep us safe from those who would steal from us, sell our children drugs, or even kill us. People who are trusted to pass laws to keep our Social Security and Medicare benefits solvent. People who will have a great deal to say in how our children will be educated and how schools will be judged on how well they are doing that job.

The list of reasons to vote on Tuesday, Illinois' primary, is long. So, it seems, is the list of reasons not to vote. Too busy. Why bother, because the politicians don't listen to what I have to say and don't say what they mean. How is my one vote of any great importance, anyway?

Your vote does matter. Even if you have to talk yourself into believing that at a time when we are so cynical about elected officials, believe your vote matters.

This Tuesday, in particular. Democrats and Republicans in Illinois will take the first major step toward deciding who will be our next president in voting to nominate the person they think can best lead the country.

The good news is that voter turnout is generally stronger in a presidential election year. Voter interest should even be higher heading into the Tuesday primary, given two of the candidates hail from Illinois -- our U.S. senator, Barack Obama, and Hillary Clinton, who was born in Park Ridge.

Still, deciding whom to vote for can be confusing. You want to know how the candidates really stand on issues you care about, not just what they say, or what is said about them in brief political ads that sling more mud than speak truth.

The Daily Herald tries hard to be helpful in this regard, publishing stories that detail the candidates' positions on important issues -- local, state and national -- and explaining what is at stake in governing units seeking tax increases. We also offer our opinions on whom is most qualified to hold elected office, or if those tax hikes are justified, in the form of endorsements.

You don't have to accept our recommendations, but you should take full advantage of your opportunity to make your own choice.

Vote on Tuesday.

It's one of the best things you can do for yourself, your family, your future.

Your country.