Both the Kansas secretary of state and the Douglas County clerk are predicting a record turnout for the Nov. 4 election. That’s great news, but it’s only part of the equation.

To truly fulfill their obligation as citizens, American voters not only need to show up at the polls, they need to bring with them the knowledge required to cast an informed ballot.

With four weeks to go, this presidential race clearly has energized the electorate. Voter registration is up, especially among young people, and far more people than usual seem to be watching and talking about the race.

Again, that’s good news, but voters shouldn’t forget the many other races and issues on which they will be asked to voice their opinions. In Douglas County that will include two seats on the County Commission and two sales tax questions, as well as representatives to the state school board, the Kansas Legislature and the U.S. Congress. The presidency obviously is the highest office in the land, but the sales tax and decisions made by local elected officials will have a far more direct impact on our everyday lives.

Deciding how to vote on an issue or candidate race shouldn’t be easy. It should involve some research and consideration. Many voters probably think there still is plenty of time to make their decisions, and there is, but now is the time to get started.

Attendance at some local voter forums has been meager. There’s a lot going on, but getting to know your candidates is an important step. The 2nd District U.S. House candidates, Nancy Boyda and Lynn Jenkins will participate in their only Lawrence voter forum at 7 p.m. today at the Dole Institute of Politics. For those who can’t attend this or other local forums, the local Voter Education Coalition forums will be rebroadcast several times on Sunflower Channel 6 as well as being available at Sunflower On Demand and here on ljworld.com.

Additional information about candidates, ballot questions and the retention of judges at the county and state level is available through a variety of Web sites and voter guides.

The first job is to get registered to vote. The last day to register for the general election is Oct. 20; advance voting begins Oct. 15 at the Douglas County Courthouse. The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 4.

It would be wonderful to have a record turnout on the polls that day, but it would be even better to have every voter go to the polls with a considered, informed decision on the votes they plan to cast.