Exercise your right to vote in Tuesday's primary

On Tuesday, Missouri voters will have the opportunity to make their voices heard regarding who should land in the finals bracket of this March Madness called the presidential primary.

By now, most have claimed an opinion on the candidates. The presidential primaries have saturated our consciousness for the last several months. We have examined everything from immigration policy to the hand size of the candidates. Now, it's time for Missouri to decide who emerges from the two major political parties.

Polling numbers released Friday indicate Missouri is favoring the current front-runners before Tuesday's vote. The poll, conducted by The Docking Institute of Public Affairs at Fort Hays State University -- and commissioned by 10 Missouri newspapers, including the Southeast Missourian -- found that Donald Trump appears to hold a 7 percent edge over Ted Cruz in the Republican primary; and on the Democrat ticket, pollsters preferred Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders by 7 percent as well.

But you never know until the votes are cast.

Local county clerks expect about a third of voters to go to the polls on Tuesdays. Doors open for voting at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.

As with all elections, we encourage you to exercise your right to choose your leadership. Even though it's only a primary, the stakes are high for both parties. Make your opinion count, and remember to vote on Tuesday.