Cobb County voters and their counterparts across Georgia are heading to the polls today, hopefully in the hundreds of thousands, to help select those who will lead us on the state and local levels in coming years.

Top billing goes to the Democratic and Republican primaries for governor. Former Gov. Roy Barnes of Marietta is the perceived front-runner in the Democratic race and may get the nod without a runoff. The Republican primary finds former U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal of Gainesville, former Fulton County Commission Chair Karen Handel, former state Sen. Eric Johnson of Savannah and former state Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine all running hard, with a runoff election between the top two vote-getters likely on Aug. 10. There is little question that Barnes and Johnson are the best equipped to represent their parties and, should one or the other be successful in the fall, serve as governor.

Further down the ballot, former Cobb Commission Chairman Sam Olens (R) and state Rep. Rob Teilhet (D) of Smyrna are vying for their parties' respective nods for the state attorney general nomination. Both face opponents, but both are the best choices in their respective primaries.

U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) faces only token opposition in today's primary. His bigger test will come in the fall.

Cobb voters have an array of choices to make for county-level offices as well. Foremost is the selection of a new county commission chairman to succeed Olens in a special non-partisan election today. Former Northeast Cobb District 3 Commissioner Tim Lee has the backing of most of the county's political and civic establishment, but political newcomer Larry Savage has mounted a stronger campaign than many observers expected. Lee worked hard representing his district through most of the 2000s and has earned the chance to serve as chair.

Meanwhile, northeast Cobb voters will choose between Waste Management Co. community relations manager/ lobbyist JoAnn Birrell, architect Stephen Moon and IT consultant Earl Stine in the GOP primary for the right to succeed Lee as commissioner. And in northwest Cobb, incumbent Commissioner Helen Goreham is facing a challenge from former Kennesaw Mayor Leonard Church.

Northwest Cobb voters also will be choosing candidates for state Senate, where the race for the District 37 seat features former Cobb school board Chairman Lindsey Tippins mounting a strong challenge against incumbent Sen. John Wiles in the Republican primary. There is no Democrat in the race.

Elsewhere, Cobb voters will be choosing state representatives and school board members.

It is a long ballot that also features candidates for various other state races.

Cobb Elections Director Sharon Dunn is predicting a turnout of only 25 to 30 percent today. We hope Cobb voters prove her wrong, and that the turnout tops those estimates. We're counting on you to do your part.

Polls are open today from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. See you there!