The headline on yesterday’s front page said it well — Voters offered choices.

Today’s election — polls remain open until 8 p.m. — is predicted to be a classic off-year election with low voter turnout. The thinking is that without the high visibility of national races for Congress or the White House, voter interest is reduced. But despite the low-profile nature of off-year elections, the races being decided today are closer to the voters and arguably can have more direct impact on their daily lives.

Of the contests being decided here today, the most visible race might be for Butler County commissioners, followed by the challenges for various school boards across the county. These elected officials will be managing budgets and their actions will have an impact on property tax rates.

In Butler County, the four candidates running for county commissioner have generated the most interest. Only one current commissioner is running for re-election, so the next three-member board will include two newcomers, although one of the four candidates has served in the past.

School board races also are linked to property taxes. And with school districts dealing with challenging budgets, property owners and taxpayers should have a higher-than-usual level of interest in school board races. School districts with contested races include Butler, Karns City and Freeport.

Another election that will see changes no matter the outcome is Butler City, where three candidates are running for two seats on city council. With the city in serious financial trouble, possibly facing bankruptcy in a few years, and negotiations between the city and its public safety unions going on, city residents have a powerful motivation to cast votes in favor of those they think will do the best job of guiding the city through these difficult times. They also should be thinking about who can best help reverse the slow decline visible throughout much of the city and also foster growth and revitalization in the city.

Beyond these races, there are opportunities to vote for township supervisors in Center, Adams and Buffalo, as well as commissioner in Butler. In a few boroughs, there are contested races also.

These positions — from county commissioner to city council, school board or township supervisor — are truly closer to the people than congressional or presidential elections. Not many of us will have the opportunity to talk with our representative in Congress, much less the president, but we can stop and talk with a county commissioner or a member of our city council or the local school board.

But despite these races being closer to voters, turnout at the polls is usually lower in off-year elections. Shari Brewer, director of Butler County Elections Bureau, predicts a countywide turnout comparable to 2007, when 29 percent of registered voters made it to the polls.

Brewer is a rare public official who would like to be proven wrong — by a higher-than-expected voter turnout today.

But that won’t happen unless people decide it’s worth the effort of a short drive to the local polling place. Recent editions of the Butler Eagle offered summaries of the candidates’ qualifications and goals.

Voter turnout of less than 30 percent is nothing to be proud of and today’s elections, as yesterday’s headline said, do offer voters choices.

With polls open until 8 p.m. there still is time to push voter turnout over 30 percent. The motivation might be civic duty, wearing the little U.S. flag sticker handed at the polls or just to do the right thing. Whatever the reason, vote.