The critical moment has arrived in this dizzying and passionate general election campaign season. With just ten days until Election Day, candidates and voters must take on additional responsibilities. And these responsibilities are numerous.

For candidates at every local, state and federal level, the No. 1 responsibility must be keeping campaigns clean throughout these critical final two weeks of voting and beyond the finish line. This means focusing on policy issues and not vilifying opponents’ tactics.

It also means telling the truth. Although lying, in itself, does not automatically lose the protection of free speech in political advertising, it reeks of sleaze and fails to achieve the desired results with a responsible and informed electorate.

Finally, once the votes are recorded and counted, candidates from president to local dogfighter races would have to accept the winning or losing results. After all, despite the massive disinformation circulating on social media and extremist websites, voter fraud is extremely rare.

In fact, a recent study by the conservative-leaning Heritage Foundation concluded that over the past decade, only 1,500 cases of actual voter fraud have been proven in the entire United States. In recent years, updates to voting systems and new policies aimed at maximizing voter security have made the risk of such abuses even rarer.

Voters must also share the responsibility for responsible citizenship. A big part of that responsibility is avoiding the insulting label of “low-informed voter.” These are voters who are easily swayed by the propaganda of a clever 30-second campaign spot or who never stray from their own political party lines – logic be damned.

These voters spend little time researching candidates, analyzing their platforms, and comparing their policy initiatives to those of their opponents.

When making decisions about local and national candidates and issues, responsible voters can find many ways to make informed choices, not the least of which is this newspaper. Throughout this campaign season, the Tribune Chronicle has published in-depth articles that take an in-depth look at the backgrounds, qualifications, accomplishments and goals of candidates in every major race in the Mahoning Valley.

In addition, the editorial board of this newspaper also invested a lot of time and resources to interview candidates in key elections and then provide them with thoughtful endorsements. For these stories and editorials, visit www.tribtoday.com.

Voters must eliminate massive amounts of misinformation at all costs. Just this week, the FBI and the federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency released a joint public service announcement warning national election voters to be wary of fake national news sites mimicking those like the Washington Post and Fox News that were started by the likes of Russia and Iran.

In addition to seeking out credible sources of election information, voters should also make sure to check all their t’s and dot all their i’s when it comes to the voting process.

A key decision is clearly the choice of voting early or waiting until Election Day. Some argue that early voting protects an individual’s right to vote in the event of a personal emergency or community calamity occurring on November 5. Others argue that waiting until Election Day gives citizens the opportunity to weigh key revelations and potential developments that could change decisions in the final days of the campaign. season.

If you vote early in person at the board of elections offices on Oak Hill Avenue in Youngstown or Youngstown Road in Warren, extended hours into the early evening are offered in the final days. Voting Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. are available this weekend and next. Unlike previous years, no early voting will be available on November 4, the day before Election Day.

Voters should also make sure they have their photo ID in place when they go to school board offices or polling places. The only acceptable documents are driver’s licenses or state-issued identification, military ID, or passport.

For those who chose to order absentee ballots, return them immediately after voting. Any ballot postmarked after November 4 or that does not arrive at the board of directors by November 9 will not be counted.

This outcome should be avoided, as your single vote can make or break a candidate’s victory or defeat. But more importantly, responsible voting is one of the hallmarks of strong citizenship, a quality that all Americans should strive to embody and never abandon.