Bluffton council member Mitch Kingsley, 313 Campus Drive, has filed as a Democrat to be on the 2021 general election ballot in November for a four-year term on Bluffton council. The board certified his petition on Feb. 16.

The filing deadline for persons giving a party designation for Bluffton council was Feb. 3.

Four council seats will be on the ballot on Nov. 2. Those seats are currently held by Kingsley, Jerry Cupples, David Steiner and Phill Talavinia.

So, assuming the other three file, they must do so as independents. The filing deadline for a council seat as an independent candidate is May 3.

Other Bluffton council members are Joe Sehlhorst and Benjamin Stahl. Their seats are not on the 2021 ballot. Richard Johnson, mayor, is also not on the ballot this year.

Other local election postions that will be on the Nov. 2 general election ballot includef three school board seats and two township trustee seats.

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.
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.

There will be a handful of special election issues on the May primary ballot. Those include:

• Allen County Children Services
Renewal Levy, 0.5 mill, care and placement of children, 5 years

• Monroe Township
Renewal Levy, 0.5 mill, fire and emergency, 5 years

• Allen East Local School District
Substitution Levy, 2.27 mills, providing for necessary requirements, continuing period of time

• Pandora-Gilboa local School District
Renewal Income Tax, 1% income tax, current expenses, 5 years