Mark your calendar and clear your schedule. May 8 is more than just the Republican presidential primary in North Carolina.

All voters should plan to vote that day, as there is a proposed state constitutional amendment on the ballot concerning marriage.

“In terms of this proposed constitutional amendment,” Secretary of State Elaine Marshall said in a news release Monday, “this is the one and only time North Carolina voters will be able to vote in favor of or in opposition to it. So, if there are any voters out there who have been thinking they might not vote in the primary, they should realize this is the ‘general election’ for this proposed amendment.”

Voters will be asked to vote for or against the following: “Constitutional amendment to provide that marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this state.”

All voters have an obligation to study the amendment before marking their ballots, taking the time to understand what is being asked before answering in the polling booth. Voters who require assistance to help them understand the amendment may read an explanation provided by the Constitutional Amendments Publication Commission. Copies are available at the local boards of elections, the N.C. Secretary of State’s office or online at www.sosnc.com.

Do not take your voting right for granted. Regardless of where you stand on this issue, take the time to study the amendment and let your vote be recorded come May 8.