Does it seem like we never get a break from the election cycle? 

It was just a little more than two months ago — Nov. 8 — when we went to the polls in the mid-terms.  

And while those elections are now safely behind us, there’s little time for those who are involved in or just like to follow politics throughout the Tri-State Area to sit back and rest. That’s because we are well into the filing period for this year’s primary elections. 

Ohio’s primary is set for May 2, while the primary vote in Pennsylvania will be on May 16. Since West Virginia has no statewide elections this year, primaries will be set at the county level — and, in some locales, a primary might not be needed. 

The election that falls between the midterms and the presidential election does not seem to attract as much attention as others. There are no seats for Congress and no spots in the Senate up for grabs. There are no statewide races or campaigns for spots in state House or Senate. 

What you will find, however, is elections that matter a lot to how we live our lives on a daily basis. Many residents will have the chance this year to vote in elections that will determine who will make governmental decisions on the local level. 

All residents of Steubenville, for instance, will have the chance to vote for council at large. It’s a seat currently held by Kimberly Hahn, who, because of term limits, will not be able to seek re-election. Council at large is an important position — it’s the only seat on council which is chosen by all the voters in the city. 

In the 1st Ward, Asantewa Anyabwile will have the chance to seek re-election. 

Seats in the 3rd and 5th Wards get a little more interesting. Willie Paul currently represents the 5th Ward, but is prohibited from seeking re-election by term limits. 

Heather Hoover was chosen by members of City Council to fill the seat that had been held by Eric Timmons, who campaigned successfully to win a seat on the Jefferson County commissioners. If she wants to stay on council, though, she will have to file to run in the primary. 

Voters in Toronto and Mingo Junction also will have choices to make this spring, according to information from the Jefferson County Board of Elections. 

Seats up for election in Toronto this year include mayor, auditor and law director, as well as council seats in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th wards. 

Mingo Junction voters, meanwhile, will elect a mayor, a clerk and four members of council. 

Those who are interested in running for any of those offices and who have not already done so will have to make up their minds quickly — the filing deadline is 4 p.m. Feb. 1. 

Looking across the Ohio River, if you live in Follansbee or Wellsburg and have been waiting to get involved in local politics, you have even less time — the deadline to file petitions in those communities is Feb. 28. 

There are several offices open in both towns. In Wellsburg, the clerk’s position will appear on the ballot, as well as seats on City Council representing each of the city’s four wards. 

Follansbee, meanwhile, has offices open including mayor, city attorney, clerk, a council at large seat and seats in each of the city’s five wards. 

Here’s where those elections will get interesting. Both cities know there will be general elections on June 13, but neither knows if there will be a primary needed. There will not be, provided not more than one candidate files for any race. 

And, in New Cumberland, five of its six council seats will be on the ballot, with that election set for May 9. The filing deadline is Feb. 28. 

There also likely will be a few levies and other issues that will pop up between now and the filing deadline that residents in some areas will get the chance to vote on. 

Again, it won’t matter how many candidates file or how many offices are open if you have not registered to vote. 

In Ohio, you have until 9 p.m. April 3 to get that process completed and be eligible to participate in the May primary. And, no matter what happens in the primaries, there will be a general election on Nov. 7, and you will have until Oct. 10 to make sure you are registered to vote then. 

It seems like the election cycles get shorter and shorter with each passing year — which means that no one could be blamed for looking ahead to Nov. 5, 2024. 

That’s the date we will hold our next presidential election. 

(Gallabrese, a resident of Steubenville, is executive editor of the Herald-Star and The Weirton Daily Times.)