On Tuesday (Nov. 2) Michigan voters will be asked to make important decisions about candidates for president. They also will be asked to choose members of Congress, the Michigan House of Representatives, judicial offices, the U-M Board of Regents, the Wayne State University Board of Governors, the Michigan State University Board of Trustees, as well as candidates for mayor, council, and other local elected offices. Ballot issues at both the state and local level also deserve attention and consideration.

I encourage your participation in the election process by informing yourself about the candidates’ positions and the ballot initiatives, and by voting in person or by absentee ballot. Voter resources are available on the University’s gateway Web page. You can verify registration and authorized polling places by checking the publius.org web site. Local election clerks are suggesting that voters attempt to get to the polls as early as possible to avoid expected long lines at the end of the day. I ask supervisors to encourage and make it possible for all employees to exercise this right.

The privilege and responsibility to vote is the hallmark of our engagement as a civil society, and I encourage your participation in this process.