Today is your last chance to have a voice in the 2018 elections. If you have an opinion about the direction of this state — if you care one iota for our country — in this election you have real power to influence its course.

Some 23,000 Rowan voters have already cast their ballots. Now it’s time for the rest of us to weigh in.

The president is not on the ballot, but in North Carolina many of the U.S. House members are. In this area, that’s new Rep. Ted Budd of Davie County and Rep. Richard Hudson of Cabarrus, Republicans who represent different parts of Rowan and several other counties. Do you like or oppose their support for the president? This is the pivotal question of the day. With your ballot, you can let them know.

In a sense, the 2018 elections are a referendum on President Donald Trump, and the rate at which people turn out to vote is in essence a referendum on the country. If you value your rights, if you care about your country, you will exercise your right to vote.

How about the North Carolina General Assembly? Republicans have used their veto-proof majority to make big changes in state government, from taxes to teacher pay. Rowan’s incumbent state representatives and senators are part of that majority. Are they voting the way you want them to? Is North Carolina headed in the right direction? Here’s your chance to have power over the people in power.

The legislature also put six amendments to the state Constitution on the ballot, covering everything from hunting and fishing to how judges are appointed between elections. Here’s your chance to say whether any of these changes should be written into the Constitution — vote “for” or “against.”

Locally, Rowan’s county commission has three seats on the ballot — a race pitting three incumbent Republicans against two Democratic challengers. Is Rowan County on the right track? You can give a vote of confidence or vote for change.

There’s a race for one seat on the Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education, the seat representing the North district but voted on countywide. Again, you have a vote.

Need information? You can find the Post’s Voter Guide in today’s paper and online at http://ow.ly/fLij30muCjR.

A state guide about races for state Supreme Court and Court of Appeals and the six constitutional amendments was mailed to every home in North Carolina. You can also find it online at http://ow.ly/UQEf30mvDFp.

You don’t have to vote on every race, but information is available if you want to research a candidate or issue.

This is your last chance to vote on state and national politicians until 2020. To repeat, if you value your rights, if you care about your country, you will exercise your right to vote.