As tomorrow's Election Day looms close in Centre County, many students and citizens might realize, with surprise, that they haven't really been keeping track of the campaigns for local officials.

State College will be electing a mayor and members of the borough council tomorrow, and for many of us that means we'll be choosing officers who have a profound influence on the way we live our lives in the coming years.

It's very true that most residents have had a lot to think about in the weeks since Sept. 11. So much to think about, in fact, that we've let the decisions we'll be making tomorrow fall by the wayside as we learn about anthrax, the Taliban and terrorism, or as we mourn for those lost in the Sept. 11 disaster.

And while the things that we've had to worry about in the past weeks may make a position like borough council member seem like it pales in comparison, we should not ignore the importance of what happens tomorrow. As Americans, we must all exercise one of the rights that makes us who we are and vote tomorrow.

Despite the disaster that this country has faced -- and, perhaps, especially because of it -- we must educate ourselves about who best to lead this community.

So, if you haven't been paying attention to the candidates in the mayoral and borough council races, spend some time today going through the material out there about the people who want to represent your interests in the future.

And remember that during this trying time in our country, the leadership that we need must be strong and prepared to deal with anything. So the choice of a leader will be especially important this Election Day. Every student at this university should work to get to the polls tomorrow, support the person he or she feels will best lead us and exercise the rights of an American citizen.