Local voters get a chance to have their say Tuesday when the primary elections take place.

We encourage residents to go to the polls to help decide who will square off in November's general election.

The two races that have drawn much local interest include the Mower County attorney and sheriff's races.

Three different candidates -- all of whom work in the county attorney's office -- are facing each other to determine who will hold the county's top prosecutorial post. Only the top two vote-getters will move on to November's general election.

In the sheriff's race, one out of the three candidates won't be moving on to the general election. The two who do move on will be trying to win the job that is being vacated by Barry Simonson, who is retiring.

Each position is very important to Mower County and its residents. The county attorney is the lead prosecutor and in charge of assistant county attorneys who also prosecute various crimes.

The sheriff's post is important, especially to those who reside in rural areas, as the sheriff is in charge of suppressing criminal activity in those regions. But for those who live in cities and towns in this area, that position still should be of interest, as the sheriff is also in charge of the county jail.

Many of us may be too busy or will have different activities going on Tuesday.

But don't let that get in the way of exercising a right that our forefathers fought for more than 200 years ago.