Months of campaigning in sweltering weather will come to a momentary end today — barring runoffs — as voters head to the polls to cast votes in this year’s party primary election.

A slew of county races are on the Democratic primary ballot with a few state races on both the Democratic and the Republican tickets.

No fewer than four of the five county supervisor positions are up for grabs along with sheriff, city and chancery court clerks, coroner, tax assessor and two constable positions.

Big money is at stake with more than $800,000 in annual compensation on the Adams County ballot alone.

Those elected officials are responsible for tens of millions of taxpayer money each year.

Perhaps that money and the political power that goes along with it are what can make campaigns occasionally turn ugly.

Elections are challenging times that, unfortunately, often turn emotional and personal for many candidates, their supporters, family and friends.

Former friends can turn bitter enemies of things as seemingly trivial as where a political sign is located.

By the time a few political stump speeches are made an a few critical messages are delivered, the gloves are off and too often people lose their civility.

That’s too bad. What’s worse is the high number of people who simply don’t care enough to actually make an effort to vote. Rather than take political shots at one another, let’s encourage friends and neighbors to make sure they go out and vote.

Regardless of which candidate you support, exercising the right to vote and casting a vote on Election Day is far superior to simply throwing up a hand in disgust and not bothering to make the effort.