Vote today; then put aside rancor

This has been a grueling election season, hasn't it?

Starting with the presidential election and working your way on down to county commissioner and some of the races for state Legislature, the tone has been somewhat snarky.

We think that's in part because the election is so critical, but also in part because of a general decline in civil discourse over the past several decades.

The issues of character and reputation which have been prominent in the presidential, Montana gubernatorial and county commissioner races are legitimate for discussion, but probably should not become more important than issues of taxation, finance, national defense or road maintenance.

So we encourage all voters to use their own common sense to weigh everything they have heard over the past few months, both from the candidates and from their advertising, and choose those candidates with whom they are most comfortable.

You won't be able to find anyone who has exactly the same positions as you, but if you pick the candidate you would want to go bowling with, you probably can't lose. If you don't bowl, then pick the candidate you would like to have lunch with.

When you get down to the human level, all those negative ads seem a lot less important. In fact, they start to hurt the candidate who approved them, not the candidate who was the target.

So stay focused, stay positive, and stay involved.

Go to the polls today and vote with your head, your heart and your hand.

And remember to follow the rules:

. Bring identification so you can prove who you are. Photo ID is preferred, but utility bills, government checks, and other official communications with a printed address are also accepted.

. Then completely pencil in the oval next to your favorite candidates' names to make sure your vote is counted.

Afterwards, you can go home and worry about the results. But soon enough, we will be through with worrying about the election process and can start to worry about the much more important business of governing ourselves.

As a nation and as a community, we face many challenges. Once the election is over, it is time to get past the name-calling and start working together to find solutions to our common problems.