This is a major election year in Bluffton.

Four council seats, three school board seats and two township trustee seats will be on the Nov. 2 general election ballot. Winners of those races will have 4-year terms beginning Jan. 1, 2022.

Bluffton council seats on the ballot are currently held by:
Jerry Cupples – Republican
Mitchell Kingsley – Democrat
David Steiner – Republican
Phillip Talavinia – No party designation
Council members not on the ballot:
Joseph Sehlhorst
Benjamin Stahl
The Bluffton mayor Richard Johnson is not on the ballot.

Council seats are partisan and Feb. 3 is the filing deadline. Candidates seeking council seats as independents have until May 3 to file.

A May 4 primary will only take place for council races if enough candidates from either party file, requiring a runoff.

Bluffton school board seats on the ballot are currently held by:
Bradley Dailey
Wesley Klinger
Kenneth Lugibihl
School board members not on the ballot:
Lawrence Hoffman
Jeremy Scoles

Richland Township trustees seats on the ballot are currently held by:
Rodney Goldsberry
Gary Lugibihl
Neither trustee, Donald Brauen, nor fiscal officer, Trisha Nieman, are on the ballot.

School board and township trustees are non-partisan races. The filing deadline to be on the Nov. 2 general election ballot is Aug. 4.

Beaverdam council seats on the ballot are currently held by:
Todd Long
Carl Murray
Jerry Neuenschwander
Thomas Nowlan
Beaverdam council members not on the ballot:
Franklin Gillette, Jr.
Anthony Myers
Beaverdam mayor, Pamela Lepine, is not on the ballot.

The following is an abridged calendar for the 2021 election. Click here to visit the Allen County board of elections for a complete schedule.

Feb. 3 – Declarations of candidacy for partisan candidates, filing deadline, 4 p.m.
Feb. 16 – Board of elections certifies candidate petitions
April 5 – Deadline for voter registration in May 4 Ohio primary election
May 3 – Filing deadline for independent candidates for the fall generation election, 4 p.m.
May 4 – Ohio Primary election, 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
July 15 – Board of elections certifies independent candidates petitions for general election
Aug. 4 – Non-partisan candidates general election filing deadline
Oct. 4 – Deadline for voter registration in Nov. 2 general election
Nov. 3 – General election, 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.