The North Western Electric Cooperative Board of Trustees is a group of seven members who are elected by their fellow members to serve three-year terms. Their duty is setting policies and making decisions for the continuation of the cooperative and as an elected representative that are accountable to the membership. 

At the annual meeting the members are invited to vote for candidates from two or sometimes three districts. During the 2026 election, candidates from the following three districts will be on the ballot:

  • District 4 representing Brady, Center, Jefferson and Pulaski townships in Williams County

  • District 5 representing Crane, Farmer and Mark townships in Defiance County

  • District 6 representing Adams and Tiffin townships in Defiance County, Ridgeville Township in Henry County and Springfield Township in Williams County.

All the members in districts 4, 5, and 6 will receive a letter inserted in their billing statements due on January 10th to alert them that the election process had begun. 

The incumbents in districts 4 and 5 have chosen to remain candidates and will automatically be placed on the ballot. The incumbents are: Chris Oberlin, for District 4 and Ryan Wehri, for District 5.

The incumbent in District 6, Jordan Ruffer, has chosen to not be a candidate so that will be an open seat with no incumbent candidate.

 

The Petition Process

The process for those members who are not currently serving on the Board to become a candidate for the North Western Electric Board of Trustees is described in ARTICLE IV, Section 4 of the North Western Electric Cooperative Code of Regulations. It requires eligible members who were interested in being placed on the Official Ballot to submit the official petition forms contained in the Trustee Candidate Petition Packet. To be considered a candidate for the 2026 election, the required documents must be returned to the NWEC office by 4 PM ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2026. 

2026 Trustee Candidate Petition Packet

All petitions received will be verified and only those meeting the qualifications will be placed on the official ballot for the 2026 election.

If you have any questions regarding the election process, please contact our office.