Election Day is little more than a month away and I, for one, am looking forward to casting my ballot.

Voting is a responsibility that I take very seriously. That is something I took from my parents. Certainly, I learned lessons about our democracy and the importance of participation in government, civics and history classes, but it was my parents who made me understand from a very early age that they would go to great lengths to ensure they made it to the polls on Election Day.

My earliest memories connected to voting involve a short walk up Market Street to the old Belmont City Building. The tiny structure hosted council meetings on a monthly basis, but on Election Day it was usually decorated with bunting and contained small voting booths separated from prying eyes with long curtains.

I usually took that walk with my mother, and she would take me right into the voting booth with her. I would stand alongside her while she made her choices, and she would explain that her vote was hers alone and that the curtains were in place because her vote was nobody else’s business.

My dad worked long hours when I was very young, so I probably only walked to the polling place with him on one or two occasions. Yet I always knew that he managed to cast his vote before or after work, often hours before I was even awake.

So, when it came time for me to vote at age 18, I took the necessary steps to ensure that I could cast an absentee ballot from my college dorm room in Dayton, Ohio. I believe I have voted in every primary and general election since. If I have missed a chance to vote, it was only because there were no candidates or issues on the ballot in my precinct.

I believe it is my right and my responsibility to vote. But I also realize that I am fortunate to have the opportunity to participate in the electoral process. There is no question today that women can vote right alongside men, but that was not always the case.

During colonial times, voting rights were restricted. Gender and race kept black men and all women from voting. White men were much more likely to have the right to vote, but even they might be required to own property or pass religious tests.

Over time, property ownership and religious requirements disappeared. Black men gained the right to vote following the Civil War, though it took decades for many of them to be able to exercise that right.

Less than a century ago, women still were not guaranteed the right to vote. Both of my grandmothers were about 20 years old before the Women’s Suffrage Movement succeeded in ensuring that American women could cast ballots in every state.

People fought — and sometimes died — for the right to vote. It is the one and only way we can be certain that our voices are heard and that we can have a hand in deciding the future direction of our society.

That is why I feel so strongly about the need to participate in the system and why I hope to see all of you at the polls.

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On an entirely different note, I am deeply concerned about recent reports of people in clown costumes causing concern or even panic in local communities and across the nation.

With Halloween approaching, many young people will be dressing in costumes and pulling pranks. While they may believe their behavior is harmless — or even funny — other residents are on edge, and I fear someone will be hurt.

On Saturday, three young costumed men were arrested near Bellaire and charged with crimes such as carrying concealed weapons and inducing panic. On Friday, a clown-related threat found on social media prompted some local school buildings to be locked down.

This is serious business during an otherwise fun holiday season. I urge parents and young people to think carefully about costume choices and actions that could be misinterpreted as Halloween approaches.