Absentee voting for the Tuesday, May 7, Ohio primary election is now underway. Allen County residents may contact the county board of elections for absentee voting details, or open the absentee ballot application form attached at the bottom of this story.

. Here’s the May 7 ballot for voters in the Bluffton school district.

• Bluffton Exempted Village School District
Income Tax renewal 0.5%, Permanent improvements, 3 years

• Bluffton Exempted Village School District
Levy renewal 4.244 Mills, avoiding an operating deficit, 5 years

• Allen County RTA
Sales and Use Tax additional 0.1%, Providing Transportation Service, 10 years

Richard Johnson, Republican, was the only Bluffton candidate filling for office with a party designation. Because he has no Republican opponents for mayor, he will appear on the Nov. 5 general election ballot as a Republican candidate for mayor.

While the primary ballot is light, the general election ballot will prove to be of more interest.

On the Nov. 5 ballot will be candidates for Bluffton mayor, two Bluffton council seats, two Bluffton school board seats, one Richland Township trustee seat and one Monroe Township trustee seat. Beaverdam voters will select a mayor and two council members.

Persons filing as independents still have time to file for any of the local offices.

Those filing deadlines for independent candidates are:
• Bluffton mayor – May 6
• Bluffton council – May 6
• Bluffton school board, Beaverdam mayor – Aug. 7
• Beaverdam council, township trustees – Aug. 7

Persons holding seats expiring Dec. 31 that will be on the ballot follow:

Mayor
Richard Johnson, 216 Beaver St. (Republican) (appointed)

Bluffton council
Joe Sehlhorst, 335 Cherry St. (Independent)
Ben Stahl, 414 S. Main St. (Democrat) (appointed)

Bluffton school board – non-partisan
Jeremy Scoles, 205 Hillcrest
Renee Smith, 554 Hunters Run

Richland Township trustees – non-partisan
Donald Brauen, 7140 Tom Fett Road

Monroe Township trustees – non-partisan
Jon E. Basinger, 4080 E. Hook-Waltz Road, Elida

Beaverdam – non-partisan positions

Mayor
Pamela Lepine, 209 S. Lima St., (appointed)

Council
Teresa Cameron, 213 Prospect St.
Franklin Gillette, 215 W. Pearl St.