If you live in Ohio and have not yet registered to vote, time is running short.

The deadline to register and be eligible to participate in the May 3 primary election is 9 p.m. today.

We’ve been hearing for a couple of years now from people who say they can’t wait to make their voices heard. That’s a good thing — without an engaged, educated and informed electorate our democracy will surely grind to a halt. But before you can use any of the methods Ohio allows its residents to vote by, you have to be registered.

You must register if you have never been registered to vote, have moved to a new county and have not yet registered to vote or if your registration has been canceled after six years of not voting.

And, while you have to be at least 18 to vote, those who are 17 and who will have their 18th birthday before the Nov. 8 general election are eligible to participate in the primary.

You should update your registration if you have moved, even if it is only across the street, or if your name has changed from what is currently on your registration.

It’s a simple process — but if you do not complete it, you won’t be able to cast a ballot

County boards of elections will be open until 9 p.m. today for you to complete the process. You also can register online with a valid Ohio ID or driver’s license at VoteOhio.Gov or in-person using a paper form at the library or at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Registration also can be accomplished at any public high school or vocational school and the county treasurer’s office.

Once you are registered, you will be ready to vote — which you can do beginning Tuesday. Ohioans can vote by using the absentee system, participating in early voting at the board of elections or by heading to the polls on May 3. Voting at the board of elections will be available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday through April 22; from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 25 through April 29; from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 30; from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. May 1; and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 2.

While there are no contested races locally on either the Republican or Democrat ticket, there still are important decisions to be made. Both parties will be selecting a nominee to run in November for the U.S. Senate seat that will be open after Rob Portman retires at the end of the year. And, each of the parties has a contested primary in the race for governor.

Make sure you can be a part of the election process.

Ohioans must be registered to vote by 9 p.m. Monday. West Virginia’s primary election is set for May 10, and the deadline to register to vote is April 19. If you live in Pennsylvania, the primary election is set for May 17, and the deadline to register is May 2.

And once you are registered, remember that all of the talk, all of the hand-wringing, all of the discussions about candidates and issues will mean nothing if you don’t vote.