Dear Readers,

It is time to exercise your franchise.

On Tuesday, after six weeks of being bombarded with TV commercials urging us to support this candidate or reject that one, we all get a chance to finally have our say. Now, it is our turn.

In the race for governor, we have three choices.

Republican Gov. Paul LePage is the incumbent who is another four year term. He is a bit outspoken with a pugnacious style. Some like it, others don't. Do you like him? Do you think he has done a good job? If so, he is your man.

U.S. Rep. Michael Michaud is the Democrat who is running. He has pledged to work to bring the squabbling politicians together and get things done. Seems like a likable guy who seems to connect with voters. If you don't like LePage, he might be your choice.

The third guy in the race is Eliot Cutler, a business guy/lawyer. He has a convincing manner and seems like a smart guy. If you don't really like the other two and/or are turned off by the LePage/Michaud attacks and counter attacks, and are concerned with partisan politics and gridlock, maybe Cutler is your man.

The “experts” and pollsters say LePage and Michaud are running about neck and neck with Cutler somewhere behind. But no one knows for sure. The “experts,” pollsters and political pundits are just guessing.

Sure, they have fancy computer models that analyze data gathered by the polling folks who called us around dinner time and asked if we plan to vote and who we support. But are those answers a true indication of a voting trend? At our house, we got so many calls from pollsters that we just rotated the answers.

We told the first caller we were for LePage, the second Michaud and the third Cutler. I expect more than a few folks fibbed to the pollsters.

The truth is that nobody knows for sure. Nobody.

One of the wonderful things about this great nation is that we, not the “experts” and political pundits, get to pick our governor and other officials.

Unlike other nations, we don't have rulers who got their jobs because they were born in the castle. We don't have rulers who assumed power after using the army to shove the other guy out of office. We don't have folks from “away” ordering us to vote for their favorite candidate.

Your vote does count. If you don't think so, remember the battle between George W. Bush and Al Gore? A handful of votes in some Florida districts decided that nationwide contest. Besides, a lot of folks say if you don’t vote, you don’t have the right to complain.

To get ready for Election Day, I urge you to watch the TV news, read the papers and check out the Boothbay Register/Wiscasset Newspaper’s Election Center 2014, so you are familiar with the issues before going to the polls.

Another suggestion: take a child or grandchild to the polls. Show them around. You might even take them into the booth to let them see how the process works.

In any event, take a few minutes out of your busy day and exercise your franchise.

Just vote.