Over the weekend, I got my absentee ballot in the mail: my ticket to participation in the Great American Democracy. I had thought that my participation in the Ohio primaries -- scheduled in the month of March, some time after the majority of the states have already held their primaries -- would be a formality more than anything. Which wouldn't actually have bothered me all that much. I've come to take pride in these "formalities," especially now, as an American citizen living abroad. But after significant gains over the past weekend for Barack Obama and Mike Huckabee, it seems like the race for the White House is still far from finished. Perhaps my participation in the Ohio primary is not so meaningless after all...

So does anyone have any great advice for me, as I consider my options in completing my absentee ballot?

In particular, if there's anyone else reading this blog from Richland County, Ohio, I would be much obliged for any information for me for Member of State Central Committee, Mansfield (19th District) -- between Jeff Wilkinson and Richard A. Cochran.  That particular race isn't getting much coverage here in Amsterdam.  :-)  And believe it or not, aside from a couple of other tax levies (which are pretty self-explanatory), this is the only other  real choice on the ballot, outside of the presidential primary.