We're under no naive illusions that we'll see the kind of voter turnout today that local polling places experienced last year in the presidential election.

Last year's historic election -- which resulted in our first black president -- drew voters by the car full, with lines snaking around polling places.

This is considered an "off year" election, focusing on school, municipal and judicial officials.

But "off" is an unfair way to describe such contests. The people up for a vote today are the ones who will be "on" the front lines serving area taxpayers.

They are the local -- the hyper-local -- faces of government.

The people who decide your school tax rates.

The people who oversee your local police and fire departments.

The people who will sit in judgment should you be unfortunate (or foolish) enough to wind up in court.

The people who sit in judgment of our local judges at the appellate level.

It's important stuff -- especially in a "commonwealth" where municipal governments make many local decisions. Start talking about regionalization in these parts, and many folks resist the idea, saying they cherish their local control.

Well, prove it.

Get up off the couch, hop in the car and go vote.

If you really cherish having a mayor and a council for a borough that in some places is about the size of a suburban housing development, take the time to cast a vote for those people.

Don't tell us the election is too insignificant for the effort.

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If local government is too insignificant to bother voting for, it's probably too insignificant to even have and could be more efficiently managed on a regional or county scale.

Besides that matter of principle, there are some interesting races on tap today.

It's not on the level of the first black president, of course, but county voters have the opportunity to elect its first black judge -- or maybe even two, as two of the four candidates are African-American.

In York, the city will elect its first black mayor -- as both the Republican and Democratic candidates are African-American.

There are appellate court judges on the ballot -- for the state Supreme, Superior and Commonwealth courts. These judges make important calls in legal appeals and interpret the constitutionality of our laws. Go to www.inyork.com/ydr, click on Voter's Guide and read up on them. Then vote.

There are also, unfortunately, a lot of vacancies on this year's ballot.

No one running against county Controller Robb Green, Coroner Barry Bloss or Recorder of Deeds Randi Reisinger.

No challenger for Tom Kearney, who upset longtime District Attorney Stan Rebert in the Republican primary. (Though that's not quite accurate: Kearney is challenging himself, as he got enough write-in votes to appear on the Democratic ticket as well as the Republican side: "Heads you lose, tails I win." Actually, we all win because Mr. Kearney is an excellent candidate.)

But if you like your little school district, borough or township (or even if you don't), there's no excuse for not casting a ballot.

See you at the polls.