Voters return to the polls for the lasttime in 2011 Tuesday when they will make their final decisions inraces for statewide, area and local elected offices.

    For Lincoln County voters, 11 contested statewide and area racesremain to be decided. Locally, 10 contested countywide, districtand post-based races are still up for grabs on Tuesday’sballot.

    Also on the ballot are three proposed amendments to the MississippiConstitution. Following complex efforts to get the measures on theballot through the initiative process, voters will be asked todecide on issues related to voter ID, when life begins and limitson the government’s ability to take private land through theeminent domain process.

    All three measures are important and have received extensive mediacoverage. Proponents and opponents of the measures – particularlythose regarding personhood and eminent domain – have been active intheir efforts to persuade the voting public to cast ballots ontheir sides.

    A “Yes” vote on Initiative 26, the personhood amendment, wouldsupport the idea that life begins at fertilization and the embryotherefore has all the rights associated with being a “person.” A”No” vote would signify disagreement with that position or concernsabout potential negative consequences of changing current law.

    Voting “Yes” on the voter ID measure – Initiative 27 – means youbelieve voters should have to show photo identification beforebeing allowed to cast a ballot in elections. Voting “No” means youdo not think voters should be subjected to that requirement.

    Regarding Initiative 31, which deals with eminent domain, a “Yes”vote means you do not think anyone should be forced to sell theirproperty and then have the government transfer it to someone elsefor economic development reasons.

    Under eminent domain, a person’s land is not just “taken,” sincethe owner is given fair market value for the property as determinedthrough legal proceedings. A government’s ability to use eminentdomain for things like roads and bridges would not be affected byInitiative 31.

    A “No” vote on Initiative 31 would mean you are satisfied with thecurrent system or that you are concerned about the amendment’spotential negative effects on communities’ economic developmentefforts.

    In the interest of timely vote-casting activities, voters would dowell to familiarize themselves with the ballot initiatives so theyare not spending a lot of time in the voting booth reading them forthe first time. To help with that process, sample ballots areincluded in today’s DAILY LEADER on Page 3C.

    In addition to voting on the initiative issues, though, will be thecritical task of choosing our leadership for the next fouryears.

    Candidates will be making their last campaign pushes today, Mondayand Tuesday to get their messages before the voters. It’s not toolate to learn about the candidates and ask questions when possibleand then carefully consider your choices to be made Tuesday.

    Most important, though, will be the act of getting to the polls andcasting your ballot. Voting is one of our most precious rights asU.S. citizens, so be sure to exercise that right Tuesday.