Good Lord, it's come down to this.

How do you know it’s election season? When Governor Deval Patrick takes time out of his day to more or less encourage a bunch of high school students visiting the State House to vote for him.

Popping out of his fourth-floor office on Wednesday, Patrick went down to a third-floor hallway where the championship girls soccer team from Cardinal Spellman High School in Brockton had gathered before they were honored on the House floor.

Patrick greeted the girls, and told them that state law allows them to register to vote as long as they will be 18 before the next election. He repeated a frequent refrain that citizens get the government they deserve, and if they don’t get involved, government will be run by “professionals’’ who may not have their best interests in mind.

If Massachusetts citizens get the government they deserve, then what have we done to deserve this?

UPDATE: More from the Globe and Herald.

SECOND UPDATE: From Red Mass Group, the Herald and Globe.

THIRD UPDATE: Charley Manning interviews Gov. Patrick. Plus, more from Holly Robichaud, the Herald and Globe.