Monday is the deadline to register to vote in the upcoming Nov. 5 election, and those needing to register or update their existing registration are encouraged to not wait until the last minute.

Voting is a right we, as American citizens, have to choose those who represent us and exercise our voices in shaping the future of our nation. In Mississippi and in neighboring states, the ability to exercise that right has come at a heavy cost.

But voting is not only a right; it is a duty.

Electing local, state and federal leaders is dependent on Americans engaging in the democratic process and casting their votes for those they believe are best suited to represent them.

Statistics tell us the greater the sample size, the less variation. In surveys and polling, the more people asked, the closely the results will reflect the overall population. Survey 10 people in the Chick-fil-A drive-thru around noon about what they’re having for lunch, the data will probably be skewed towards Chick-fil-A. Pose the same question to 3,000 people at random places around the city, and the resulting data is much more likely to mirror Meridianites’ lunch preferences.

The same is true with elections. The more votes cast, the more likely it becomes that the winner of an election represents the will of the people.

Without voters, democracy doesn’t work.

In just over a month, Mississippi voters will join their fellow Americans at the ballot box in what is being cast by both Republican and Democrat nominees as a battle for the future of our nation. The race has solidified along party lines with each claiming to be the salvation of America while declaring the opposition its assured destruction.

Such a fractured state should compel all eligible voters to do their duty and vote in the upcoming election. There can be no better way to preserve the fundamental ideals of our nation than by exercising the most democratic process we have — voting.

Those who need to can verify their voter registration or print voter registration forms online at sos.ms.gov/yall-vote. In-person voter registration at the Lauderdale County Circuit Clerk’s office ends at 5 p.m. Monday, and all mail-in forms must be postmarked by Monday to count.

Take a few moments over the weekend to make sure your voter registration is in order and make a plan to vote on Nov. 5. Whether you see it as a right or duty, exercise your voice at the ballot box and encourage others to do the same.