While the 2020 presidential election was wildly popular with voters of all parties, the county elections director said the upcoming primary election affects the daily lives of county citizens even more.

Aaron Sheasley, the county's elections bureau director, said those elected to local seats affect taxes, roads, schools, zoning and other issues that are important to county residents.

Sheasley recently shared the list of seats up for grabs in the primary election May 18.

He said while only Republicans and Democrats can vote for candidates in the primary, voters of other parties or with no political affiliation still should go to their precincts in May to cast their votes on three referendum questions.

Shall the Pennsylvania Constitution be amended to change existing law and increase the power of the General Assembly to unilaterally terminate or extend a disaster emergency declaration and the powers of commonwealth agencies to address the disaster regardless of its severity pursuant to that declaration through passing a concurrent resolution by simple majority, thereby removing the existing check and balance of presenting a resolution to the governor for approval or disapproval?Shall the Pennsylvania Constitution be amended to change existing law, so that: a disaster emergency declaration will expire automatically after 21 days, regardless of the severity of the emergency, unless the General Assembly takes action to extend the disaster emergency; the governor may not declare a new disaster emergency to respond to the dangers facing the commonwealth unless the General Assembly passes a concurrent resolution; the General Assembly enacts new laws for disaster management?Shall the Pennsylvania Constitution be amended by adding a new section providing that equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged because of an individual's race or ethnicity?

All 89 precincts in Butler County in 2021 will vote for a judge of election and an inspector of election. Regarding inspector, the top vote getter will be named majority inspector, and the candidate with the second-most votes minority inspector.Four of the district judge positions are up for grabs as well in 2021.District 50-3-01 in Slippery Rock covers Brady, Franklin, Mercer, Muddy Creek, Slippery Rock and Worth townships as well as the boroughs of Harrisville, Portersville, Prospect, Slippery Rock and West Liberty.District 50-3-04 in Cranberry Township covers Cranberry Township and Seven Fields.District 50-3-05 in Butler covers only Butler.District 50-3-06 in Evans City covers Adams, Connoquenessing, Forward, Jackson and Lancaster townships, plus the boroughs of Callery, Connoquenessing, Evans City, Harmony, Mars, Valencia and Zelienople.

Regarding school board directors, voters in the Butler Area, Karns City Area, South Butler County, Freeport Area, Mars Area and Moniteau school districts will cast their ballots for four board members in each party for a four-year term, unless otherwise indicated.Karns City Area voters also will vote for one school director in each party for a two-year term.Slippery Rock Area School District voters will vote for one school board member in each party for a four-year term in Regions 1 and 3, and two four-year seats and one two-year seat in Region 1.In the Seneca Valley School District, voters will cast their ballots for one school board seat in each party for a four-year term in Regions 1, 4, 5, 8 and 9.One seat is available for a two-year term in region 6 as well at Seneca Valley.

Many township supervisors and commissioners, tax collectors, auditors and constables will be running for election in the county's townships.Seats available in boroughs and cities are mayor, council, tax collector, treasurer, controller, auditor and constable.Because candidates' petitions are not due until Monday, it is impossible to know which municipalities have seats up for grabs, Sheasley said.He said casting of lots to determine the position of names on the primary ballot will be held at 10:30 a.m. March 15 in the public meeting room at the Butler County Government Center in Butler.Any candidate may appear at the casting of lots in person or by proxy if appointed in writing.The county bureau of elections will cast lots for candidates who do not appear in person or send a proxy.