It may sound cliche, but it's true.

Come Wednesday morning, if you didn't cast a ballot, you can't complain about the outcome. And for the next four years (or less, we get the minority we seem headed for) you have no right to moan when the government decides to take a path you are opposed to.

Voting is a civic right and a moral duty for any citizen in a free and democratic country. That right is something to cherish and exercise.

This is especially important to remember if you are under the age of 24. Elections Canada says in the 2000 election, only one in four young Canadians between 18 and 24 exercised their right to vote.

Elections Canada notes that when politicians know in advance that most young people don't vote, they may be less interested in making the effort to be responsive to issues that matter to younger Canadians.

Not that youth are the worst offenders in shying away from polling stations. In last year's provincial election, a mere 52 per cent of eligible voters cast a ballot -- the second lowest in Ontario history.

You haven't earned the right to complain if you didn't take the first step in the process.

We're not looking for mandatory voting or a system which rewards those who do vote.

We're appealing to all citizens to remember their civic duty and get to the polls on Tuesday to exercise, and appreciate, their democratic right to cast a ballot for the leaders they choose.