Get informed and make your vote count

Believe us when we say we’re as exhausted as you are.

The onslaught of creepy super PAC-funded attack ads swallowing up the airwaves and filling our mail boxes have hit a level never seen before in our state. In fact, spending on Montana’s U.S. Senate race alone is now estimated at $60 million, devouring the previous state record. (How those millions could have been spent better is an editorial for another day.) With just over 700,000 registered voters in Montana, about $85 per potential voter has gone into the Senate race — so far.

And while the frenzy around the midterms is enough to make anyone want to make like a bear and settle into an early hibernation, we hope you’ll hold that thought for a few more days.

If you haven’t already, now is the time to get informed and cast your ballot — in that order. Don’t just plan to ride that red or blue wave to victory, and definitely don’t take those super PAC ads or social media posts as the truth. Take the time to learn about the candidates and issues, and vote smart.

All of our local election coverage is online at www.dailyinterlake.com/news/local-elections. It’s a great place to start before heading to the polls. You won’t find any candidate endorsements in our coverage — we think our readers are smart enough to make up their own minds — but you will find a series of Q&As with the local candidates and more in-depth pieces on the slate of initiatives appearing on the ballot.

We’re encouraged to see a record number of registered voters in Montana — now go make that vote count!