Are you ready for Super Tuesday?
OK, you've been watching the presidential debates -- or at least the more entertaining Cliff's Notes version on "The Daily Show."
You've seen candidates drop like flies in the past week.
Hopefully that has you interested enough to cast a ballot on Tuesday. But are you in tune with what's happening in the local political scene?
There's much more than the presidency at stake.
You could vote for who will challenge Democratic U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin in November. Republicans Steve Sauerberg, Andy Martin and Mike Psak are vying for the nomination.
If you live in Kane County, you'll be able to vote on who you'd like to see win the congressional seat vacated by former Speaker Denny Hastert. Who runs in the general election in November depends on who you vote for in the party primaries, which features Democrats John Laesch, Jotham Stein, Bill Foster and Joe Serra and Republicans Chris Lauzen, Jim Oberweis and Michael Dilger.
If you live in McHenry County, you could probably wallpaper a bedroom with all the glossy mailings you've gotten from candidates for the state's attorney's office. And what holes you have you could fill with newspaper clippings on the race.
In what insiders call one of the most contentious (read: ugliest) campaigns in memory, Dan Regna is taking on first-term state's attorney Lou Bianchi. Regna, who worked for nine years as a criminal prosecutor for Bianchi's predecessor, was shown the door when Bianchi took office.
Regna has needled the incumbent with all manner of claims -- high turnover among the lawyers in the office, not doing right by crime victims, and a general falling out with the law enforcement community among them.
Bianchi touts his business background, his civil law experience and longer tenure as a lawyer and has fired back numerous times that Regna is employing "gutter politics" to try to win the seat.
There has been about as much civility here as the pre-Hollywood Barack/Hillary debate.
There are a number of other races that, depending on where in the Fox Valley you live, you can have a say in on Tuesday.
In the 8th Congressional District, Democratic incumbent Melissa Bean of Barrington is being challenged by Lindenhurst peace activist Randi Scheurer.
Three Republicans are vying for the chance to unseat Bean in November and return the seat back to the Republicans.
Steve Greenberg of Long Grove and Kirk Morris and Kenneth Arnold of Gurnee will square off Tuesday for the Republican nomination.
The 8th District includes the Cook County portion of Elgin, where voters also have a Cook County state's attorney's race to chime in on.
In the 49th state House District race, Carpentersville businessman Jim Krenz takes on incumbent Tim Schmitz of Batavia for the Republican nomination.
In the 50th state House District, it's Kay Hatcher, David Richmond, Anton Graff and Terry Hunt vying for the Republican nomination. The Democratic side is uncontested.
In Kane County, you Republican voters can choose between Karen McConnaughay and Jim MacRunnels for county board president.
And if you live in McHenry County, you likely have a range of choices for county board. Yes, even if you vote Democratic.
One thing, though, before you go off to cast your ballot. Remember the cardinal rule of primary elections:
If you want to vote between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, you can only vote in Democratic races. And if you want to show your support for Mitt or John or Mike or Ron, you'll only be able to vote Republicans closer to home.
To report problems
McHenry County clerk: (815) 334-4242.
Kane County clerk: (630) 232-5990 (for suspicion of irregularities, try the state's attorney at (630) 208-5328.)
Cook County clerk: (312) 603-0906.
For results
Visit www.dailyherald.com for latest results after the polls close. Grace period ballots, absentee ballots and early voting ballots will be counted after ballots cast on Tuesday.