The presidency may not be at stake, but this is not “just another” midterm election. The campaign that will climax with Tuesday’s vote has attracted more attention and aroused more strong emotions than any such election in recent memory.

And with good reasons.

For one thing, control of the legislative branch of government is at stake — at both the national and state levels. Republicans seem all but certain to wrest the U.S. House of Representatives away from the Democrats, and possibly even the Senate as well.

The situation seems similar in Raleigh, where the GOP entertains dreams of taking over the General Assembly for the first time in more than a century.

Votes Will Have Consequences

At the national level, the Obama administration faces not only the thwarting of any future legislative initiatives, but even the distinct possibility that some of its proudest accomplishments, including health care reform, could be rolled back or gutted. That’s pretty profound stuff, no matter how you come down on those issues.

On a smaller scale, similar consequences could possibly result from Tuesday’s election at the local level. The re-election of Republican incumbent County Commissioner Jimmy Melton will likely keep plans for the new public safety-detention center complex on track. Democrat William Garner, on the other hand, has indicated that he might try to delay or halt the project.

However you feel on that issue, it’s important that you make your voice heard.

A Far-Reaching Ruling

All across the nation, another major factor, last spring’s Citizens United ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, has propelled this normally ho-hum off-year election to a level of significance seldom equaled in the past.

The effects of that decision — a colossal blunder, in our opinion — may continue to poison our elective process for decades. Powerful entities, be they big corporations or powerful labor unions, now have the ability to flood local districts with anonymous attack ads that have little to do with local issues and everything to do with gaining control of the lawmaking and regulatory process at the national level.

Citizens United makes it more important than ever for individual voters to learn about the issues and candidates from their own more objective sources and try to turn a deaf ear to these destructive, self-serving, often dishonest voices from who-knows-where.

Below, we offer a recap of the editorial endorsements published by The Pilot in contested races over the past few editions. (We express no preferences in the judicial elections, being insufficiently familiar with the candidates.)

Feel free to follow our suggestions — or wrap your garbage in them. But if you haven’t already voted early, go do so on Tuesday!

Our Recommendations

Front of the ballot, partisan:

U.S. Senate: Democrat Elaine Marshall.

U.S. House of Representatives: Republican Howard Coble.

Board of Commissioners, District 5: Republican Jimmy Melton.

Back of the ballot, nonpartisan:

Board of Education, at-large: Dale Frye, Enola Lineberger and Pam Thompson.

Board of Education, District 3: Charles Lambert.

Soil and Water Conservation: John W. Carter and Michael Florence.

Constitutional Amendment

Providing that no person convicted of a felony may serve as sheriff: For.