(Updated May 24)

Let’s continue to bring positive change to Allen and Hardin! In November 2021, residents will elect new leaders for Town and Village Councils, School Boards, and Townships. Consider running for local political office or helping others campaign. The next filing deadline is August 4, and petition signatures will be needed, so the time to act is now! 

Step One: Choose Your Position!

If you file by August 4, you can run for:

• School Board
• Township Trustee
• Council member in non-partisan races (e.g. Delphos, Beaverdam).

Here’s a quick overview of some of those races in Allen County. All elected positions can be found on the Board of Elections websites for Allen County and Hardin County. AHEAD has also created PDF summaries of all positions up for election in 2021 for each county: Allen County positions up for election 11/2021 and Hardin County positions up for election 11/2021.

….Or Help Others Run

We’ve passed the deadline to run for some offices in Hardin and Allen Counties (except as a write-in candidate). Those offices include Mayor and Council in Lima and Council in Kenton, Lima, Bluffton, and Ada. However, you can still help with candidates’ campaigns. Here’s a quick summary of who has filed in Ada, Bluffton, and Kenton. In Lima, the big race is for Mayor.

Step Two: Reach Out to Local Organizers
If you’re interested in running, local groups will help you get all of the information you need. They can also help with petition signatures. In order to run, candidates must gather a certain number of signatures (generally 25-50)

• Allen County: Contact Beth Sutton-Ramspeck by email (ahead.oh@gmail.com)
• Hardin County: Contact Mike Hubbell by phone (419-673-6346) or email (r.michael.hubbell@gmail.com)

Step 3: Learn About Process and Deadlines

Local organizers can help you with the process. Some key elements: You’ll pick up petitions (signature forms) from the Board of Elections (Allen County, Hardin County). The deadline to submit these forms is August 4, but they can be tricky, so it’s good to do it ahead of time and get extra signatures.

For School Board, Township Trustee, and the remaining open Council positions, you can get signatures from any registered voter (doesn’t have to be a Democrat).

The big deadlines:

• August 4: Deadline to file with Board of Elections if you are running for a non-partisan position (e.g. School Board/ Township Trustee)
• November 2: Election Day

More details: Ohio Secretary of State calendar