Congratulations to those who took the time to vote on Tuesday.

Whether you were voting in Albert Lea on whether to approve a half-cent sales tax to clean up local lakes or were voting in Glenville-Emmons on whether to renew a continuing levy referendum for education, you should take a bow. You exercised one of your primary rights as a citizen of the United States.

No matter which way you voted, the important thing is that you did vote.

Sometimes when there is only one issue on the ballot it’s difficult to get motivated enough to get out and vote.

If it’s on the ballot, it’s important. And that’s why it’s vital we always become informed and get out and make our wishes known through the ballot box.

One should never underestimate the power of the ballot.

To those who didn’t vote, we have only this to say: If you don’t like the way things turned out, you have no right to complain. Perhaps next time you, too, will exercise your rights.

Again, we tip our hat to those who got out and voted on these vital issues.