To all of you who got out and registered to vote, thank you from the bottom of our ink-stained hearts. Put your hand on your shoulder and give yourself a pat on the back. You have taken the first step to making your voice heard in the great democracy that is the United States of America. Without you, and your vote, the very foundation of this nation would crumble and the voice of the people would be silenced.

Whether it was the lasting impression left from the 2000 election that every vote counts, or the fact that students paid attention to the various voting campaigns on television and print media, all that matters is people are getting out and registering to take part in democracy.

If you saw the picture of the Secretary of State on the front page of Tuesday's edition of The State News, it's evident that this generation has something to say. Every time there is an election, a line to register or vote - just like the one in the picture - deserves to appear.

Although we commend the 96 percent of eligible Michiganians who were registered prior to Monday's deadline, we hope that they will still be compelled to cast a ballot on Nov. 2 and earn a coveted "I Voted" sticker. Historically, just about less than half of all registered voters turn out on election day. If you are registered to vote, do everyone a favor and make the next logical step - actually do it.

So now the easy part is over. You've registered your name as a conscientious citizen with intent to exercise civic duty. Your next assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to learn as much about the people, proposals and positions that you'll be voting for on Nov. 2. There are 28 days left until we elect or retain a president. Make sure that when you're voting, it's done with conviction. Your voter registration card makes an ugly bookmark.