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Every election is important, but this one is especially so. Voters will select men and women to fill seats on dozens of boards and councils in Stanislaus County. In these extremely challenging times, those who are elected will face daunting and difficult decisions. Furthermore, with turnout expected to be low, a few ballots could decide a race. With that in mind, we encourage you to:

Vote. If you've already done that by mail, good. If you received a mail ballot, make sure it gets to the elections office by 8 p.m. Tuesday. At this point, the best way to ensure you make the deadline is to drop it off at a polling place or at the elections office at 1021 I St., Modesto. If you still like stepping into the booth and marking your choices, be sure to do that between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Consider the three "C's" as you make your decisions: Character, competence and commitment. All three are critical, and we need men and women with those qualities now more than ever.

Avoid being misled by nice-sounding but meaningless campaign rhetoric. Beware of inviting but improbable promises, such as sparing any area (for example, classroom teachers or police and firefighters) from painful budget cuts, reducing what residents pay for services (for example, electricity rates), or guaranteeing a specific level of funding or services.

Do your homework, whether that's a last- minute review of our coverage (available at www.modbee.com/election), candidate finance reports (also on our Web site), sample ballots, visits to candidate Web sites, or spirited discussions with friends and family.

Make up your own mind. Lots of people will tell you how to vote, and we've told you what The Bee's editorial board thinks about several key ballot races and measures. But in the end, it's your decision.

Vote. It's important enough to say it again. We're privileged to live in a country built on a representative form of government. As citizens, voting isn't just our right, it's our responsibility. Does one vote -- your vote -- matter? Absolutely. As a matter of principle, voting makes you an active participant in our democracy. And, as a matter of practicality, it can mean the difference between a candidate winning and losing -- which has happened here in a number of elections over the years.

Here is a recap of The Bee's editorial recommendations. The full texts are available at www.modbee.com/elections.

City of Modesto advisory votes

Voters will weigh in on five proposals to extend sewer service, eventually leading to annexation of the areas.

Measure A: Support. City officials believe this 1,300-acre area on both sides of Kiernan Avenue just east of Highway 99 offers the best opportunity for the development of business parks, which can mean jobs.

Measure B: Support. While this 230-acre triangle along the west side of Highway 99 contains some prime farmland -- which in general concerns us -- the area falls within Modesto's sphere of influence and would be earmarked only for business uses.

Measure C: Support. The north end of McHenry Avenue already is in urban/ business uses, largely auto dealerships. It's long been planned to become part of the city.

Measure D: Support. The so-called Tivoli North area bordered by Oakdale and Claribel roads would include some housing, but also would provide room for a large regional shopping center -- something that people in east Modesto want and that would generate sales tax revenue for the city.

Measure E: Oppose. This is an 830-acre area planned for more houses; the city doesn't yet need it.

Modesto City Council

District 2: Dave Geer is the stronger of two candidates based on his long residency in the neighborhood, his community involvement and his sensible approach to working with other councilmembers.

District 4: Joe Muratore is the strongest of two suitable candidates in this three-way race. We recommend him based on his strong record of civic involvement and his goal to balance public safety and economic concerns.

District 5: Kristin Olsen deserves re-election based on her performance the last four years, promoting quality of life issues without diminishing support for public safety or business.

Modesto City Schools Board of Education

There are four seats to be filled, and we recommend five candidates from the the strong field of nine: Ruben Villalobos, Cindy Marks, Solange Altman, Nancy Cline and Sue Zwahlen. All appear ready to make the tough budget decisions that await, to ask questions and to promote more open communication and to provide oversight and guidance for the superintendent.

Modesto Irrigation District Board of Directors

Division 2: Challenger Glen Wild offers years of business experience and a reputation as a thoughtful, outcome-oriented decision maker.

Division 3: Incumbent Tom Van Groningen is firmly planted in our community and thoroughly appreciates what it will take to balance the district's two big challenges: meeting renewable energy mandates and retaining rights to Tuolumne River water.

Division 4: Incumbent Paul Warda remains well attuned to the water and electricity issues and recognizes the district has areas to improve.