Election Day is nearly here, and voters will soon have a chance to express their opinions about government leaders in a most permanent way. One of our reporters asked people around town this week if they were influenced by political advertising, and they all said no. In addition, most pointed to the ineffectiveness of political signs on people’s lawns. But we have to wonder how political ads on TV and radio affect voters’ views, along with pundits who offer their opinions on the airwaves and in print. And what about the political advertising that fills our mailboxes, the electronic political messages that fill our e-mail in-boxes, and the robo-calls that disturb our dinner in the evening? A lot of campaign money is being spent to influence our decisions, at a time when voters seem more disaffected than ever and angry at just about everyone in government over the turn our economy has taken in the last couple of years and sundry other issues.

Although it would be easy to cast a vote rooted in emotion, voters should be wary of claims candidates make, no matter what party they represent. Political candidates are not held to truth-in-advertising standards, and what we see on TV often amounts to no more than out-of-context sound bites designed to make a candidate look good or bad. Facts are often so distorted it’s hard to find the grain of truth from which they sprang.

We urge voters to do their homework before stepping into the voting booth on Tuesday. Don’t take anyone else’s word for it: do your own research. And most importantly, make sure to vote. This chance won’t come along again for two to four more years.