As the end of this extremely important and somewhat contentious campaign season draws near, this will be the last issue of The Tidewater News that will be delivered to your home, mailbox or newspaper stand prior to Election Day.

Over the last few months, we have endeavored to provide our readers as much in-depth coverage, insight and information on the candidates and issues as possible, all in an effort to better help you make an informed and educated choice when you enter the voting booth on Tuesday. We hope we have succeeded.

As a rule, we do not endorse individual candidates for office, although we will take stands on specific issues that we feel are of significant importance to the community.

It’s in that spirit that we urge all of our readers to go to the polls on Tuesday and vote. Eighty percent of newspaper readers vote in any given election, so we realize that urging you to vote is akin to preaching to the choir.

However, there is precious little an informed electorate can do to have a more positive impact on their community than to have their voices heard on Election Day.