Alrighty people, he were are in the home stretch with just days to go before we can end the longest and most divisive presidential election in American history with a vote on Tuesday, Nov. 8. Come Wednesday, Nov. 9, we can put all the national polls and back and forth behind us.

Election fatigue set in a while back for many and now, like waiting for the date of a major surgery or the end of a nasty divorce, most of the nation just can’t wait for this all to be over so we can focus on our lives.

Even if you’re sick of the presidential race, do not sit out this election. There are candidates from the Democratic, Republican, Green and Libertarian parties in addition to 16 official write-ins. You do not have to vote in every race on the ballot, but every vote counts, especially in downticket races and ballot propositions.

Arizona voters will decide whether to give U.S. Sen. John McCain [R] a sixth term or elect challengers U.S. Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick [D] or Gary Swing [G].

Kirkpatrick’s Congressional District 1 open seat is up for grabs, being sought by Democrat Tom O’Halleran, Republican Paul Babeu, Green Ray Parrish and Libertarian write-in Kim Allen. The district covers most of northeastern Arizona and almost all of the Verde Valley including Sedona, the Village of Oak Creek, Camp Verde and half of Cornville.

Cottonwood, Clarkdale, Jerome and the other half of Cornville of Congressional District 4 will decide whether to retain Republican incumbent Paul Gosar or replace him with Democrat Mikel Weisser.

Democrats Tom Chabin and William Mundell and Republicans Robert Burns, Boyd Dunn and Andy Tobin are running for three seats on the Arizona Corporation Commission, which governs utility companies and sets state rules of businesses.

Former Jerome Mayor Nikki Bagley, a Democrat, is challenging incumbent Republican Sylvia Allen for the Legislative District 6 seat in the Arizona State Senate.

Democrat Alex Martinez is challenging incumbent Republicans Brenda Barton and Bob Thorpe for two Legislative District 6 seats in the Arizona State House of Representatives.
State legislators decide state laws and most importantly, education funding, which is ranked 48th in the nation.

The Yavapai County Board of Supervisors election and all county offices were decided at the partisan primary election in August — because no Democrats ran to challenge any incumbent Republicans — but in Coconino County, Republican Christine Gannon is running to unseat Democratic incumbent Matt Ryan to represent the southern district, including the Sedona area.

Four candidates, Larry Garnello, Randy Hawley, Heather Hermen and Karl Wiseman, are running for three seats on the Sedona-Oak Creek School District Governing Board with the hopes of restoring faith lost by the current dysfunctional board and its superintendent.

Numerous judges are up for retention or rejection, depending on how we voters feel they have served or failed to serve the public good on the bench.

Two ballot propositions are also up for a decision in November.

Proposition 205 would legalize and regulate the sale and use of recreational marijuana for adults over age 21, and collect tax revenue in much the same way alcohol is regulated in Arizona.

Proposition 206 would raise the minimum wage to $10 an hour in 2017, then incrementally to $12 by 2020 and create the right for employees to be paid sick time.

Nonpartisan election guides are posted on websites run by the Arizona Secretary of State, Yavapai and Coconino counties. We will be covering the election results as they come in Tuesday night, Nov. 8, and posting the results here.

Make your voice heard by making your vote count.