When the Town of Wawarsing wakes up Wednesday morning, some things will be different and some things will remain the same. New leaders will arise to face new responsibilities and have to live up to the hopes and wishes of their constituents.

Elections are important not necessarily to get the right person in office but to express the will of the voters. It is necessary to view Tuesday, November 6 as the beginning of a commitment, a partnership between voters and elected officials. A citizen's participation does not end on Election Day, especially when the slate of candidates is less than what is desired.

The people who have decided to run are who they are. They have their talents and their limitations. They have their faults and their virtues. But if we feel that none of them are truly up to the job and none of them have expressed any vision on how to turn around our community, it does not mean that the choice is meaningless and that there are no differences.

We can look to how we view each candidate's character, how they have comported themselves in the community in the past and whether their hearts are in the right place. Are they politicians or individuals who want to serve the public good?

When faced with options less than ideal, our responsibility as voters grows. For if we don't have faith in our candidates to govern us then we must govern ourselves and lead the leaders from now until the next Election Day.

Vote on Tuesday in the voting booth for the person you feel will represent your interests and concerns. But don't forget to vote on Wednesday when you call the winners and tell them what you want them to do. And don't forget to vote on Thursday and Friday and everyday thereafter. Given that we have limited choices in terms of leaders, the next best option is to create them once they're elected.

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