Sometimes there's a little bit of a line, and sometimes there's a little delay. But usually it takes the average citizen about five minute to enter their neighborhood polling place, sign in with the inspectors, enter the voting machine and vote.

You're making a mistake if you don't invest those five minutes this next Tuesday, if you haven't voted by absentee ballot already.

For the past 16 years, we've had a declining turnout on Long Island. Last year in Nassau County, turnout hit 27 percent, by far the lowest turnout in any general election since the county's creation a century before. Depending on your neighborhood, anywhere from one to five out of 10 eligible adults hasn't even registered to vote. Official turnout will be probably seven or eight out of 10 voters in most Long Island communities this Tuesday, but in reality only five or six of 10 citizens will vote. In some minority neighborhoods, real turnout is about two out of 10 citizens.

That means that your vote is at a premium. It is no coincidence that the lowest turnout ever in Nassau also produced the most skewed results in at least 35 years, including an improbable Democratic-controlled Legislature. Like a national currency rising in the international market, your vote is worth more than ever in some of the expected close elections.

If you're thinking of not voting it's likely because you can't choose between the high profile candidates. At this point in a campaign, many people who can't decide give up trying to pick and stay home. Often, people in this position rationalize that there's no difference between the candidates and that they're sending a message to the parties that they both stink. If this is you, then you couldn't be more wrong about the message that you're sending.

The message that they will receive is: "You're doing fine. If I was really upset, I'd vote." And lower turnout makes it easier for the crippled party field organizations to affect anything on Election Day. That's why, unlike some other states, New York hasn't seen any important reforms to make it easier, faster or more interesting to vote in the face of a voter participation disaster.

Even if none of the many positions up for grabs this Tuesday seem to affect your life, at least send the right message on Election Day. Take the five minutes to walk in, sign in and close the curtain. Count to 10 and open the curtains and go on with your life. And, if your feelings haven't changed, do it again next year in the local elections.

At least you'll be sending a better message than "I don't care." You'll be setting an example for your children and your neighbors and you won't look like such a sucker by the people who really couldn't care if you vote or not.