It's exciting to hear all the stories about increased interest in the democratic process this year, but the high-profile nature of presidential campaigns also could keep some people home on Election Day this year.

We urge those people to think such a decision through because some of the reasons for skipping out are poorly conceived.

Some people may be looking at the horse-race style coverage of the presidential race, and determine that the contest is over based on polls. But recent history has proven that polls can be misleading, especially in an age when traditional telephone sampling may not produce the most representative samples of the electorate.

An example of the volatility of polls could be found last week when an Associated Press survey found Obama and McCain separated by one percentage point nationally. Other polls were giving Obama a lead of more than 10 points.

The truth is that just one poll counts - the one held Nov. 4.

Another problem with advance polls involves the ones looking at individual states and their impact on the electoral college results, which determine the winner of the presidency. The political pundits are saying certain states, such as New York, are already decided.

Those predictions could easily keep some people at home because they are not in a “swing state.”

Polls for individual states are also fallible (Obama is reminding his supporters of his shocking loss in the New Hampshire primary), but there's another reason New Yorkers should be ignoring the declaration that this state is solidly blue. This election is not just about the presidential race.

Extremely important local, state and congressional races are taking place, and in many ways, those candidates impact our daily lives more directly and more often.