County election officials expect a 50 percent turnout for today's election. That's better than normal, thanks to having local businessman Mike Kelly in a race for Congress and an open race for governor.

Butler County voters, like voters across the country, are frustrated, angry, disappointed — basically unhappy. The still-sluggish economy might be playing a role in voter dissatisfaction, but there are also growing concerns about the growth of government, the dramatic increase in budget deficits and the feeling that the political class is making out well while the average citizen isn't.

Voters have also had to endure a torrent of overwhelmingly negative campaign ads in recent weeks.

The negative ads can, in some cases, cause people to stay away from the polls. Why vote, after all, if every candidate is as bad as the ads suggest?

The better-than-usual voter turnout is due partly to the race for the 3rd Congressional District seat, in which Kelly faces Democratic incumbent Kathy Dahlkemper.

Voters here might see that having a local businessman in Congress could be better for Butler County than having an Erie resident in the seat, as with Dahlkemper and, before her, Republicans Phil English and former Gov. Tom Ridge.

But part of the turnout in the county this year can also be attributed to the general voter discontent and the strong anti-incumbent mood pollsters are detecting across most of the country.

There are other races of significance, of course, including choosing the next governor. Historical patterns have Pennsylvanians flipping parties after a governor serves two terms, and Republican Tom Corbett seems to be benefiting from that pattern, while his Democratic rival, Allegheny County chief executive Dan Onorato, struggles to reverse the historical trend and distance himself from outgoing Gov. Ed Rendell, who has been associated with a dramatic increase in state spending and taxes.

No matter the final vote tally, the next governor will be from the Pittsburgh area.

That fact might have positive implications for this end of the state after Rendell's two terms, when the former mayor of Philadelphia seemed to favor the eastern part of the state when it came to state spending and attention.

Despite these interesting angles and the likelihood that the composition of Congress will change dramatically, many people still won't vote.

But not voting sends the wrong message: satisfaction with the status quo.

John Baer, a columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News, wrote a tongue-in-cheek column the other day thanking nonvoters for giving him lots of material to write about — like corruption, wasteful spending and partisan sniping.

Baer notes that by not voting, we can expect more of the same, which he describes as costly and nonfunctional government at all levels. As a columnist, he says, he appreciates the material to write about. Otherwise, he says, it's not good.

Sticking with his satirical tone, Baer asks why anyone would vote in the U.S. Senate race since the outcome will

only play a role in determining the direction of the country. He does commiserate with frustrated voters, saying the Democrat seems too far left and the Republican, too far right.Taking the same approach with those who choose not to vote for a congressional candidate, Baer says it's understandable because those races

only matter if you care about taxes going up or down, or health care, or how your tax money is spent.And when it comes to state lawmakers, Baer suggests not voting means just more of the same — which nobody, except Harrisburg incumbents, likes.Baer also laments the fact that many of those running for the General Assembly have no opposition. With a clear note of sarcasm, he says these must be "the nation's best lawmakers" if they are unchallenged.But what unchallenged incumbents really mean is that gerrymandering, or partisan redistricting, has caused most districts to be safe for one party or the other. Noncompetitive districts create a rigged game that benefits career politicians at the expense of citizens.Even at 50 percent voter turnout, it's still not enough. Voting on Election Day is important, but it's also important for people to stay involved and let their elected officials know what they think all year round, not just in early November.After today's results are known, voters should not return to a state of apathy. Staying informed, involved and keeping pressure on all politicians is the only way to change things.