Today, voters across Utah County will be setting the courses for their hometowns.

Municipal elections this year are different in some parts of Utah County. Often they are ... well, snoozefests. The issues don't seem all that vital; the candidates may not be inspiring.

But this time around, local elections are stirring passions not often seen. One theory is that the recession has jolted people awake, and they're looking more closely at government at all levels.

That's plausible; the challenges are genuinely bigger. Voting today could affect your life for years to come.

There's been more interest than usual about the candidates, and, fortunately, there have been plenty of ways to get information. One great thing about city elections is that candidates really do knock on doors and introduce themselves. Sometimes they'll reveal things that you won't find out any other way.

Meanwhile, signs and leaflets at least let you know who's out there. News media offer various views. And today many candidates have their own Web sites, which can be helpful.

If you need more incentive to go vote, think how lucky you are. Throughout the millennia of human history, almost all societies paid no heed to the voice of the people. What kings and emperors decreed was law. Even in those few societies where there was voting, such as ancient Greece and Rome, generally only the elite had the privilege.

Even today, while voting ostensibly happens in many countries, often the people are not really free. Big Brother may be the only name on the ballot -- or the only name you vote for if you value life and limb.

And who knows how long we will have free elections even in America? History teaches us that freedom is not invulnerable. Apathy by the people can undermine democracy, even while the enemies of freedom move stealthily to chip away at it. Sometimes freedom is destroyed in a cataclysm; other times it ebbs so slowly a people may not even realize it's gone until it's too late.

For up-to-date voting results after the polls close at 8 p.m. tonight, go to www.heraldextra.com/vote.