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You may be tired of the television ads attacking candidates at what seems like every commercial break. You might be fed up with the never-ending noise from cable-TV pundits, shouting at you across the airways.

You could be weary from sorting through an inbox full of campaign emails, asking daily for your support — and your money.

Perhaps you’re jaded from the flood of vitriol and unsolicited opinions saturating your social media feeds. It seems like everyone has something to say about everything, all the time.

Maybe you’re sick of the political division that seems to grow deeper by the day. That’s certainly understandable.

Maybe you’re so exhausted you’d rather just ignore it all. It might even be tempting to skip this election cycle altogether. Don’t.

Vote.

Vote in this election. The Nov. 8 ballot might not include the President of the United States, but it includes some critical public positions. The candidates selected will represent you in offices at the federal, state and local level.

While each and every one has the potential to make decisions that hit close to home, some deal specifically with matters in your community, your neighborhood even.

Some of those races include Sheriff, Board of Education and County Board of Commissioners.

If you feel ill-prepared to make an informed decision on the candidates, there are resources available to help.

You can watch video of the 2022 Beaufort County Candidate Forum online at TheWashingtonDailyNews.com. Organized by the Washington-Beaufort County Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Washington Daily News, the event featured local candidates discussing their platforms and answering questions from moderator Kellie Harris Hopkins, director of the Beaufort County Board of Elections.

The Washington Daily News will also publish an election guide Wednesday, Nov. 2 featuring profiles of each candidate.

And if you want a chance to look a candidate in the eye and engage them in conversation, you likely can find that opportunity at the Beaufort County Board of Elections during the early voting period. Many of the candidates, or key members of their campaign teams, can be found in “tent row” just outside the precinct.

One Stop Early Voting is open Monday, Oct. 31 through Friday, Nov. 4 from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 5 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Beaufort County Board of Elections.

Satellite sites include the Chocowinity Fire Department, open Monday, Oct. 31 through Friday, Nov. 4 from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 5 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Aurora Community Center, open Wednesday, Nov. 2 through Friday Nov. 4 from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 5 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and the John A. Wilkinson Center in Belhaven, open Wednesday, Nov. 2 through Friday Nov. 4 from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 5 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Voters wishing to cast their ballot by mail have until 5 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 1 to request a ballot. Polls for in-person voting will be open Tuesday, Nov. 8.

For more information, visit the websites of the North Carolina Sate Board of Elections and the Beaufort County Board of Elections.