We should all wish to be Scottish – and it has nothing to do with wearing kilts and playing bagpipes.

It has everything to do with voting.

We are awestruck by the 84.5 percent of Scottish residents who turned out in September to vote on the question of Scotland’s potential independence from the United Kingdom. Chautauqua County Board of Elections officials say they expect between 40 and 50 percent of the county’s registered voters to cast a ballot Tuesday – a disappointing expectation when one considers what is at stake. Your vote won’t determine our country’s independence, but that doesn’t mean your vote doesn’t matter. Our issues deal with self-governance and the type of state and county in which we want to live.

We note the importance of the Family Court race. The candidate who wins the position will spend the next decade presiding over families who most need outside help.

We remember the carping two years ago when Gov. Andrew Cuomo pushed the SAFE Act through the state Legislature, in the dark of night with no public notice. We hear the complaints over implementation of the Common Core state standards. We’re voting Tuesday for our representative to U.S. Congress, a position that speaks Chautauqua County’s mind on matters of foreign policy and use of your tax dollars. Voters will have the opportunity to choose our sheriff and a state attorney general as well.

Tuesday is your chance to have a say in the future of our communities. Please take the time to vote.

We remind readers of our endorsements in these races:

Governor: Andrew Cuomo.

State attorney general: John Cahill.

State Assembly: Andrew Goodell.

U.S. Congress: Tom Reed.

State Supreme Court justice: Paul Wojtaszek, John J. DelMonte, E. Jeannette Ogden, Frederick J. Marshall and Kevin M. Carter.

Chautauqua County sheriff: Joseph Gerace.

Family Court judge: All candidates are qualified.

Proposition one on redistricting: Yes.

Proposition two on electronic bills: Yes.

Proposition three on borrowing for schools: No.