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Did you vote yet?

Poll workers are standing by to assist you. There are no lines! Really!

The snowy, cold weather that we all awoke to today won’t help inflate the number of voters in today’s primary election. That’s sad.

Did you vote yet? My wife, Cheryl, was voter No. 10, and I was No. 11 at 9:30 a.m. in Janesville Ward 14 in voting at First Lutheran Church. By contrast, I was voter No. 391 at around 10 a.m. last Nov. 6 and No. 175 about the same time last April. Wards 14-18 vote at First Lutheran, and when Cheryl and I walked in today, about a dozen poll workers were awaiting us--we were the only voters in the place, though two more trickled in while we visited with a poll worker we know.

Rock County Clerk Lori Stottler projected a turnout of only 6 to 7 percent here, and that’s only because there’s a primary in the Janesville School Board race. And that pathetic prediction came before this weather system made roads treacherous and caused people to take time out to clear driveways and sidewalks before work today.

The only statewide race on today’s ballot is for state Supreme Court. It’s an important race, however. While our state high court is supposedly nonpartisan, conservatives see incumbent Pat Roggensack as crucial to maintaining a conservative majority. Liberals are hoping to oust her in favor of law professor Ed Fallone or consumer lawyer Vince Megna. Two of the three will move on to April’s general election in the bid for a 10-year term on the court.

Seven people are on today’s ballot for Janesville School Board. You can only vote for three, and six of them will move on to the April election. The six are incumbents Peter D. Severson, Kristin Hesselbacher and Karl Dommershausen, as well as challengers Cathy Myers, J.T. Lichtfuss, Diane Eyers and Fredrick Jackson. The three April winners will get three-year terms.

Other area primaries are for Beloit Town Board chairman and Delavan City Council District 2. You can read our advance stories on the races at gazettextra. You don’t need a photo ID to vote. If you’re still unsure where or how to vote, go to myvote.wi.gov or call Stottler’s office at 608-757-5660 or the Walworth County Clerk’s Office at 262-741-4241.

I voted after clearing the driveway and sidewalks. I sandwiched my civic duty around that shoveling chore and dropping off my home computer for yet another frustrating round of service. If I can accomplish all those things around my workday, can’t you get to the polls, as well? I can’t understand how anyone can say they support our troops, who are fighting for freedom around the globe, when we can’t take just a few minutes out of our busy schedules to vote.

Polls will remain open until 8 p.m.

Greg Peck can be reached at (608) 755-8278 or gpeck@gazettextra.com. Or follow him on Twitter or Facebook