Most of the state and U.S. elections this year will feature two or more candidates on the Butler County ballot.

Five of the seven incumbent state House representatives in the county — all Republicans — will likely each face challengers this year, as the field of candidates for the May 15 primary and Nov. 6 general elections are nearly set.

The three congressmen who will represent the county under the state's newly-revised map also face challengers.

State candidates planning to run in the Republican and Democratic party primary elections May 15 had to have petitions submitted by March 6, meaning the ballots are nearly set, barring any challenges. Two other Democrats had filed petitions to run for state house, but have withdrawn after their petitions were challenged.

Here are incumbents and their challengers, according to the Department of State's website:

Tedd Nesbitt, R-8th, will face Democrat Lisa K. Boeving-Learned of Worth Township, Mercer County.

Aaron Bernstine, R-10th, will run uncontested after Democrat Joseph McGurk of Beaver Falls, Beaver County withdrew from the race last week, after a challenge to his petitions was filed.

Brian Ellis, R-11th, will not face a major-party challenger. But Sam Doctor of Butler Township has announced his candidacy as an independent. Independent and third-party candidates have until Aug. 1 to file nominating petitions.

Daryl Metcalfe, R-12th, will face the winner of a Democratic primary election between Honora Rockar of Cranberry Township and Daniel Smith Jr. of Adams Township. Smith on Thursday overcame a petition challenge.

Jim Marshall, R-14th, will face Democrat Amy Fazio of Daugherty Township, Beaver County.

Jeff Pyle, R-60th, will be uncontested after Democrat challenger Laurie Kubli of West Franklin Township, Armstrong County withdrew March 19, after a petition challenge was filed.

R. Lee James, R-64th, will face Democrat John Kluck of Oil City, who ran two years ago and got 37 percent of the vote in a three-way race.

The state has a new congressional district map issued by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court after it ruled the previous map an unconstitutional gerrymander. Under the new map, most of western Butler County residents are in the new 16th Congressional District and are represented by incumbent Republican Rep. Mike Kelly.

Kelly is running unopposed in the Republican primary, but will face one of three possible challengers in the fall. Chris Rieger of Cranberry Township, Robert Multari of Hermitage, Mercer County and Ron DiNicola of Millcreek, Erie County are vying for the Democratic nomination. Brian Skibo of Hermitage announced his candidacy last year but has dropped out of the race.

Incumbent Republican Glenn Thompson of Centre County had his district, now the 15th Congressional District, expanded to include eastern Butler County. He will face either Wade Jodun of Centre County or Susan Boser of Indiana County, who are running for the Democratic nomination.

Republican Rep. Keith Rothfus, will seek re-election in the new 17th Congressional District that now includes part of Cranberry Township. He will face either U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb, D-18th or Ray Linsenmayer, both of Allegheny County, who are seeking the Democratic nomination.

Jim Hulings, chairman of the Butler County Republican Committee, said in an email that the redistricting done by the court was “judicial gerrymandering,” designed to benefit the Democratic Party.

“Butler County was hacked up by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Boroughs and townships are split. Citizens will be confused about who to vote for,” he said.

The committee supports a movement among some Republican legislators to impeach the Democratic justices responsible for the decision and the new map, Hulings said.

He said he hopes that candidates in the contested state and U.S. races will be able to campaign and win on their own merits.

“Hopefully there will not be the endless and painful negative campaigning as we have seen in the recent past,” he said.

Georgiann Kerr, chairwoman of the Butler County Democratic Committee, said recent events such as the March for Our Lives in Washington, D.C., and other cities show that people around the country are enthusiastic about change.

The county for the last two years has not had any Democratic legislators. Longtime Democratic representative Jaret Gibbons, whose district includes Slippery Rock, Slippery Rock Township and parts of Lawrence and Beaver counties, lost to Bernstine two years ago.

“We need to get out and vote. We need to stop handing Republicans their jobs,” Kerr said.

Statewide, the races for U.S. senator, governor and lieutenant governor are also contested.

Rep. Lou Barletta, R-11th, State Rep. Jim Christiana, R-Beaver County, and Joseph Vodvarka are running for the Republican nomination to challenge Sen. Bob Casey, who does not face a challenger in the Democratic primary.

Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, will seek a second term while Republicans Scott Wagner, Laura Ellsworth and Paul Mango are vying for the Republican nomination.

Lt. Gov. Mike Stack is facing six challengers in the Democratic primary. The winner of that race will face the winner of a five-way race for the Republican nomination.