Neighbors, today is Election Day. Tens of millions of us have already voted early, and millions more will head to the polls before they close tonight, starting at 7 p.m. Eastern in states like Georgia and Virginia and wrapping up late in the evening on the West Coast. If you haven’t voted yet, a quick check with your local election office will confirm your hours and your polling place.

What strikes us most this year is how much the conversation has moved from the campaign trail to the kitchen table. A new survey from Michigan State University’s American Communities Project found that 47% of us say price increases have caused serious financial problems for our households, up from 30% just last year. Seven in ten of us said they feel the country is in decline. Those are heavy numbers, and they match what we hear from friends and family.

The prices are real. Inflation ticked up to 3.6% in September, and gas is averaging around $4.25 a gallon, with oil staying above $100 a barrel since the fighting with Iran began. The economy is still growing, up 3.4% over the summer, but after-tax incomes slipped last month, which means many families are leaning on savings or credit cards to keep up.

Health care is weighing on us too. The typical family plan through an employer now costs about $28,300 a year, and workers are paying around $7,470 of that. Experts say premiums could climb as much as 9.5% next year. If you’ve opened an enrollment packet lately and sighed, you’re in good company.

And yet, in dozens of conversations with early voters, reporters heard a common thread across party lines: people worry that the country they grew up in is changing too fast. Folks on the left and right said they feel anxious about angry neighbors, rising costs, and whether leaders are following the rules. Different politics, same worry.

So here’s something worth holding onto. Wherever you land on the issues, showing up matters. Wave to the volunteer at your polling place, thank the poll workers, and be kind to the person in line behind you, even if you suspect they’re voting the opposite way.

Tomorrow we’ll all still be neighbors, with the same bills, the same school pickups, and the same hopes for a steadier year. Vote, breathe, and then let’s get back to the work of looking out for one another. That part never goes on the ballot, and it never needs to.