If you're a Republican candidate, then the Butler County Republican Committee exists to assist you.

The Republican committee appears on the primary ballot every two years. Democrats elect their party's committee every four years.

This year, 60 candidates are vying for a Republican committee position. The committee seats are based on precinct, so some, such as Adams Township 3 and Center Township 1, are contested races.

Voters elect two committee members per precinct, one man and one woman, for a combined total of 178 committee seats in Butler County.

Trish Lindsay, vice-chairwoman of the Butler County Republican Committee, said not all of the seats will be filled in the primary Tuesday, but the goal of the committee leaders is to fill as many seats as possible.

Between the 178 seats, the county is divided into six districts, which each has a committee chairman who organizes the committee members within their districts.

Trish Lindsay, who lives in Buffalo Township, said all of the committee members are volunteers. She said responsibilities include helping people register to vote, informing residents about candidates and assisting candidates in reaching the voters.

“We exist to support candidates. We want good people to run for office, and we want to help get them elected,” she said.

But unlike others on the ballot Tuesday, this will be the end of the road for elected committee members. Since the committees are party specific, there's no need to go to a general election.

“As soon as it's certified, then we have 31 days to have a reorganization meeting,” Trish Lindsay said.

At this meeting, one chairman and two vice-chairmen are chosen to help lead the committee.

Trish Lindsay's husband, Al Lindsay, is the current chairman of the committee.

Al Lindsay said the committee changed its bylaws last summer to allow the committee to endorse candidates.

“We are the only county in Western PA that does endorsing,” he said.

He said this move has given the committee members more responsibility and say in the makeup of their party. He said it also makes the elections process more accessible to candidates who are not traditional politicians.

To endorse a candidate, committee members have their own voting process. If a candidate earns at least a 60 percent majority, then the committee endorses that candidate for that race. Committee members also are restricted to vote only for the candidates who would represent their precincts.

“The meeting (in August) was well attended and well received,” said Denise Etter, a committee vice chairwoman. “It was done fairly and efficiently.”

Etter is serving in her first term as committeewoman of the Cranberry Township West 6 Precinct. She said she felt called to serve, and looks forward to serving again, being the lone candidate on the ballot for that precinct Tuesday.

Etter said the endorsement process also provides important information to committee members.

“Any time we can learn more about and from our candidates is a good thing,” she said.

Pat Stirling, the committee's secretary, said participation is an individual decision.

“I always say you can do as much or as little as you want,” she said.

Stirling has served as a committeewoman for the past 25 years for Lancaster Township, and she had served for multiple years in Butler before that.

“If you have an interest, you don't have to know a lot. You don't have to know political people,” Stirling said. “You just have to have a love of country.”

Etter said joining the Republican Committee allows people to be heard. She said the committee would ideally like to fill every seat.

“We always try to encourage anyone looking to strengthen or support their communities to join us. Join us and have a voice,” Etter said.