Tuesday's the day.

For those of you who never vote, here's what you're missing.

A chance to weigh in on a mayoral race that's spurred about 10 community forums. Neighborhoods across the city have sponsored them, with the biggest one held at Eastern Michigan University. More than 250 people attended it.

A chance to reiterate that you're unhappy with the service elected leaders in your communities have provided, and don't want to pay additional money for police and fire services.

Or a chance to tell them to stay the course. Keep the same folks in office and levy that special millage for police and fire (or even a library) because those services are important to your life.

Sometimes, the most rewarding component of our electoral process is we always have a next time. Don't like what your guy or gal has done - or not done - in office? Then vote 'em out when their terms are up.

This election offers many options to do just that, as many of the candidates challenging the incumbents for city and county offices have been campaigning on the issue of change.

What's at stake?

Well, it is only a primary, but in this mostly Democratic community, the votes cast Tuesday will tap the next community leaders in a number of areas - starting with Ypsilanti's mayor.

With three Democrats on the ballot, no Republicans, and no apparent independents or minor party candidates in the wings, Tuesday's winner will be Ypsilanti's mayor for the next four years.

So who do you want? Steve Pierce, Paul Schreiber or Lois Richardson.

Each one of the city's three council wards has the same scenario. No Republicans are running, so the Democratic primary Tuesday will provide the deciding votes.

In Ward 1, your choices are Juanita House, David Kircher and SA Trudy Swanson.

In Ward 2, they are John R. Bailey and William Nickels.

In Ward 3, you can decide between Roderick Johnson and Brian Robb.

Think you pay too many taxes? Or that the dollars aren't being used wisely?

Maybe it's the county pay-for-patrol issue that you find yourself complaining to your neighbors about.

Don't want an income tax in Ypsilanti? You might get to vote on that one at a future election, but Tuesday gives you a chance to weigh in early. Most of the candidates said they are against an income tax as a solution to the city's problems.

There are many, many names on the ballot. Quite a few tax initiatives too. But the most important thing on Tuesday's ballot will be the marks you make.

Need to know more before Tuesday? Check out the candidates' Web sites. Read those stories in the newspapers on your coffee table. Or go visit our Web site, www.mlive.com, to see the stories we've been writing. They'll all be accessible under an elections heading.

And don't hesitate to give the candidates a call. Ask them what they're about. Then tell them you reserve the right to call again, when they're in office, and you'd like them to understand a few things.

That's government for the people by the people idea in action. Yet it happens only when the people take the initiative.

So dive in. Take the lead. Just do it.

Use any catch phrase you please, because the best way for each of us to have a say in the issues affecting all of our lives is to find our polling places, walk into those booths and make our marks.

Go vote!

Ypsilanti City Editor Christine Uthoff can be reached at 734-482-4863 or cuthoff@annarbornews.com.