Make history: Vote on Tuesday

The term "flyover country" is enough to make any proud Midwesterner bristle.

But when it comes to national politics, Indiana has long been just that.

Why bother with the Hoosier state when there are bigger electoral hauls like California, Texas or New York are available?

Additionally, what's the point for either party to come to a traditional Republican stronghold like Indiana when campaign time and money is better spent in swing states like Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida?

As for primary season, Indiana seems to exclude itself from the conversation -- seemingly by design -- with its late primary on the first Tuesday of May.

As presumptive nominees are taking aim at the other party, choosing running mates and thinking about the July party convention, the Hoosier State hosts its futile exercise of a presidential primary.

My how things are different in 2016.

Those not living under a rock have already noticed the endless political ads on television -- Clinton, Cruz, Sanders, Trump, wash, rinse, repeat.

There have also been the previously unheard of appearances by our presidential candidates.

Ted Cruz has been showing up in familiar places like Lebanon and Franklin. The senator even saw fit to name his running mate in the Circle City.

Bernie Sanders has continued to mobilize the youth vote with stops in college towns like West Lafayette and Bloomington.

A certain sweater-clad coaching legend returned to Indiana to stump for Donald Trump.

Even Hillary Clinton made a stop in Hammond and sent her husband her beloved "Indianoplace."

Why the sudden change in 2016? To put it bluntly, this has been a weird election cycle.

On the Republican side, it was a crowded field at the beginning, one that took it's time thinning out. Now with only three candidates remaining, it's a matter of a devisive front-runner in Trump who competitors will stop and nothing to derail.

On the Democrat side, Clinton may now have a clear path to victory, but the Sanders campaign remains, bringing a populist tone to the conversation and forcing the former secretary of state to fight for every vote.

The message is this: You matter, Hoosier voters.

With lots of delegates at stake and nothing in this election a sure thing, the presidential candidates are paying attention because they have to.

Now is the time for us to do something about it by doing our part and voting.

In an era marked by low voter turnout, primaries tend to have the most woeful results of all. That may already be changing.

The Indiana Secretary of State's Election Division announced Thursday that more than 157,000 early votes were cast between April 5 and Wednesday. (See story, page 9A.) That's more than 30,000 more than the same period in 2008, the last election without a presidential encumbent.

At the state, regional and local levels, there are also important races. Republicans Marlin Stutzman and Todd Young are facing off for the U.S. Senate seat currently occupied by Dan Coats.

District 4 U.S. Congressman Todd Rokita (R)faces a challenge within his own party from Kevin Grant. Across the aisle, John Dale and Ryan Farrar seek the Democrat nod in District 4.

For the northern half of Putnam County, there's a contested race in State Senate District 24 as incumbent Pete Miller faces John Crane.

Even at the county level, District 3 Commissioner Don Walton has been challenged by fellow Republican Mike Clark.

It's a different kind of election in Indiana and right here in Putnam County. The eyes of the nation are upon us.

It's dereliction of duty to simply change the channel when one of those tiresome political commercials comes on the tube.

Instead, turn off the TV, do some research of your own and when Tuesday, May 3 arrives, get out and vote.