Readers were invited last weekend to spend some time at Fairfield Hills, where nearly 30 unique scarecrows had been put on view for the annual Parks & Recreation Scarecrow Contest. In its fourth year of being offered, the competition has grown exponentially, with families, friends, businesses, and organizations turning in clever creations in growing numbers each year. Some were so proud of their entries, they turned them in well ahead of the entry deadline. The public responded, oohing and aahing over the growing collection of displays that were spooky, silly, eerie, and fun.

The number of ballots received has also grown each year, as more people realize what the scarecrows represent: a new offering from a Town department that, while raising funds through entry fees, wanted to start something new and fun a few years ago.

Now that everyone’s voting senses are warmed up, it’s time this week to turn toward something a little more important. While we’re not pooh-poohing the prizes of summer beach/pool passes and gift baskets presented by Parks & Rec to the three scarecrow contest winners, there is something a little more serious when it comes to municipal elections.

Just like we didn’t even try to suggest which scarecrows were our favorites last weekend, we are not here this week to tell you who to vote for in next week’s municipal elections.

Instead, we are offering reminders.

We begin this week by reminding readers that there are 62 fellow residents who, despite the challenge of being in a public spotlight, want to represent their neighbors on a Town board or commission. These folks will be adding to their already busy lives by taking on new or extended challenges when they become or are reelected as First Selectman or as members of Legislative Council, Board of Assessment Appeals, Board of Education, Board of Finance, Board of Selectmen, Edmond Town Hall Board of Managers, Planning & Zoning Commission, Police Commission, and Zoning Board of Appeals.

Every candidate running for a local office had the opportunity in recent months to introduce themselves to readers, through candidate profiles we collaborated on as well as the invitation to write a letter of introduction for our Letter Hive.

In recent weeks we have also hosted the two men running for First Selectman. Each candidate visited our office for separate Editorial Roundtable events. They too were also offered candidate profiles and 500 words for letters of introduction in The Letter Hive.

We’ve been to a candidates debate at Edmond Town Hall and a Board of Education forum at Newtown High School.

Finally, we have offered time lines on when readers need to file for absentee ballots, and when and where those ballots should be mailed or delivered.

We are offering a final reminder — here and elsewhere in today’s print edition — that the Office of the Town Clerk will be open on Saturday for special absentee voting hours. Don’t know where to go to vote? That too is covered this week.

Readers of our print editions have had all of those stories, illustrations, press releases and photos presented in recent weeks and months. The easiest way to locate all of that collective information now is to go to our online calendar (newtownbee.com/calendar) and click on the November 7 listing for Municipal Elections. Key information for that day is within the listing, as are links to past stories and online resources including sample ballots.

All this information is to help readers make informed choices ahead of heading to your voting location on Tuesday. We do this because it is our duty to inform readers. We hope you will do your duty and head to the voting location that corresponds with your home address.

Municipal elections traditionally do not draw a large percentage of the town’s registered voters. Let’s change that this year. Remember how important it is to have the right to freely vote. Additionally, if you learn that someone didn’t find time on Tuesday to go to a voting location — or submit an absentee ballot ahead of that deadline — it’s always difficult to listen to them complain later about any elected official or the job they’re doing when the complainer did not vote in the first place.” As one letter writer this week put it more succinctly: “In a democracy, voting is how you can make sure your voice is heard.”

Whether your candidates of choice are elected or not on Tuesday, it is still incumbent on every registered voter to make their vote count every time the opportunity presents itself.

Polls are open on Tuesday from 6 am until 8 pm. Please make time to stop in. We’ll be there.