From where we stand in the local news business, 2012 has been an incredibly busy and crazy year so far, with it's fair share of negative stories (Covington municipal court saga and school blogger lawsuit as examples) and positive triumphs (the landing of Baxter International and other industries chief among them).

Against this backdrop is a crowded set of local elections in the middle of presidential-year politics, topped off by a hotly-debated T-SPLOST. And yet, as of this writing, turnout was expected to be so-so.

True, the presidential candidates aren't on the primary ballot, but every district has an important local or state election, not to mention the countywide races for chairman and sheriff.

We recognize voter turnout will never be 100 percent, but we hope citizens realize the importance of casting their ballot in these local races, which can truly be tossups.

Whether you believe Newton County remains mired in the mud of an economic recession or is on the verge of a breakthrough, this is an important election.

We'll have another intense round of candidate coverage leading up to the General Election, and, as always, we invite you to send us questions you want answered and issues you want covered.