Our primary election coverage is underway, featuring a significant number of contested races from all over Butler County — and a significant number of reasons to vote.

Among the most noteworthy races on the May 16th ballot is the one that will choose the likely future Butler County Commissioners.

Three Republicans — Joseph King, Ryan Covert, and Zachary Scherer — are challenging Republican incumbents Leslie Osche and Kim Geyer for party nominations.

The two with the most votes will proceed to the November election, where voters will choose three people to fill the county commissioner seats.

No Democratic candidates have filed to challenge Democratic Commissioner Kevin Boozel, which indicates that he will proceed to the November ballot along with two of the Republicans.

Here in Butler County, up to two Republican candidates and two Democratic candidates who win their party nominations in the primary move on to the general election in November. The three winners of the November election will serve four-year terms as county commissioners.

In short, the race will likely be decided in May. The two Republicans that advance from the primary will join a November ballot featuring likely only their names and Boozel's.

This election really speaks to the importance of voting in a non-presidential election.

Voter turnout tends to be lower in primary elections, but this one here is important for all of Butler County.

In the November 2022 election, the bureau reported a turnout of 68%, or 93,413 of the 137,344 registered voters in the county.

At that time, Chantell McCurdy, bureau director said that the bureau hopes for 80%.The 2020 presidential election came close when a turnout of 79.5% was recorded, she said at that time.

Other times, even lower turnout is recorded. For instance, only 33.4% of county voters turned out for the 2021 municipal election.

The commissioner race isn’t the only contested race. In fact, there’s a whole lot more, which will be featured over the coming weeks.

Check out our coverage and mark your calendars for May 16. Read up on the candidates and remember to vote.

— TL