I drove up to the county clerk’s office to pay my car registration and noticed a man in a pickup reviewing and marking his ballot. A few minutes later as I was leaving I noticed the man walk his ballot over to the box outside the building and drop it in the slot. Also while I was getting back in my car I noticed another woman drive up to the ballot box and slip in her ballot.

The two people were different in appearance, age, gender and perhaps even political affiliation. That I don’t know. One was an older gentleman, the other a young lady.

I was proud of them both.

They exercised a right that most of us who live here enjoy but not enough of us take advantage of — the right to vote.

Midterm elections particularly can elicit low voter turnout, although I think this year might be an exception. I am proud that in my county two years ago we had a voter turnout of 82 percent. Granted, that was a presidential election year. Nationally 61 percent of the voting age population cast ballots that November.

We have no excuse for not voting. Gracious, we get our ballots mailed to our homes where we can sit in our pajamas and review them at our leisure. We don’t even have to use a stamp to send them back unless we want to. We can drop them off 24/7 at the secure box outside the clerk’s office.

We have no excuse for ignorance on the ballot issues, either. Everyone who is registered to vote receives a “blue book” in the mail. It gives us the basic information about each ballot question, the consequences of voting for or against it, and the pros and cons about it.

We also have no excuse for not registering to vote. Those who have not yet registered can still do it on Election Day if they want to. They can register that day, get a ballot, mark it and have their voices heard.

Our choices matter. As I reminded someone recently, we have had local candidates win by one or two votes before. So every vote does make a difference.

Does it matter who represents us locally and in Denver and Washington D.C.? Does it matter if our taxes are raised for one issue or another? Does it matter that one ballot issue or another might affect our rights or our future?

It should matter to each one of us. I vote every chance I get and am grateful I have that privilege and right in this country. I am grateful for it and try not to take it for granted.

I have not yet turned in my ballot because I haven’t yet had a chance to fully review all of the ballot issues, but I will probably take the time this weekend to make up my mind on each one, mark my ballot and stick it in the box outside the clerk’s office.

We have until 7 p.m. on Tuesday to make our choices.

Don’t waste the opportunity.