Cranberry Township resident Aaron Sheasley, who had his portrait taken when starting work with the county in July 2020, is no longer serving as director of the Butler County Bureau of Elections. Butler Eagle File Photo

Butler County is once again without an elections director.

Leslie Osche, county commissioners chairwoman, said Friday that the role of director at the Butler County Bureau of Elections is vacant, leaving the county without a director ahead of the May primary.

Osche declined to say whether Aaron Sheasley, who served as elections director since July 2020, resigned, if he was terminated, or if the county and Sheasley negotiated a separation.

“I would not be at liberty to discuss that,” she said, claiming she cannot talk about personnel at the county.

Sheasley did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment Friday.

Osche said the county has been without an elections director since “last week” — the week of April 4 through April 8 — but the commissioner said she didn’t recall the exact date on which the role became vacant.

Butler County is currently looking for a new director of elections, according to Osche, but the job posting for the role does not close until May 10, just one week until the primary elections. The county has not named anybody to be an interim elections director.

“It wouldn't be the first time that we are in this position,” Osche said. “We have a very capable staff that's down there (in the Bureau of Elections) that's very committed to what they do, and I know that we will carry on a primary as normal.”

After joining the county’s elections office in July 2020, Sheasley oversaw the most tumultuous election in recent memory and presided over a bureau dealing with myriad changes to state elections laws.

Several county residents, who questioned the 2020 presidential election’s outcome at monthly commissioners’ meetings, also have publicly called for Sheasley’s ouster from the bureau.