Candidates
(Vote for 9)
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name for additional information supplied by candidate.
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Roxanne Qualls
33,776 votes
7.83%
- Occupation: Council Member
- Mayor, City of Cincinnati, 1993-199
- Council Member, Cincinnati, 1991-1999
- Director, Cincinnati Citizen Action, 1983-1991
- Executive Director, Women Helping Women, 1977-1979
- Loeb Fellow, GSD, Harvard University, 2001
- Master's in Public Administration, Harvard University, 2002
Priorities:
- Focus on the fundamentals of making every neighborhood safe, clean, green and beautiful, and by maintaining the quality of our public assets.
- Build on our strengths-invest in transit, strengthen pedestrian oriented neighborhoods, leverage future I-75 investment.
- Transform the built, natural, and social environment of our city so as to successfully compete globally and respond to global climate change.
John Cranley
33,766 votes
7.83%
- Occupation: Real Estate Developer
- Juris Doctorate, Harvard Law School
- Masters of Theological Studies, Harvard University
- Bachelors of Art in Political Science and Philosophy, John Carroll University
Priorities:
- 1. Improving Public Safety + Need to hire 100 cops, continue neighborhood walking patrols, and promote community-oriented policing.
- 2. Promoting Economic Development - Need to use tax abatements and TIF funding to encourage businesses to create jobs in Cincinnati.
- 3. Building Strong Neighborhoods - Need to continue to invest in neighborhoods.
David C. Crowley
31,115 votes
7.21%
- Occupation: Small Business owner/City Council Member
- M.A. in social work from Ohio State University
- M.A. in international affairs from George Washington
- Currently Serve as Vice Mayor
Priorities:
- A. A Clean, Green and Safe City.
- B. Encourage economic development opportunities--large and small-- for all segments of the community.
- C. Continue the population gain. Cincinnati has gained population in each of the last two years after many consecutive years of losing population.
Cecil Thomas
27,116 votes
6.29%
- Occupation: Incumbent Member of City Council
- Graduate Cincinnati Police Cadet Academy
- Law Enforcement Technology Degree University of Cincinnati
- Retired after 27 years with the Cincinnati Police
- Five years as Executive Director of Cincinnati Human Relations Commission
- Current Chairman of City Council's Law and Public Safety Committee
- Numerous awards and honors
Priorities:
- Every neighborhood must be Safe, Clean and Vibrant, therefore my top political priorities are Crime- Citizens must feel safe in their communities.
- Housing/Environment-Citizens must have home ownership in a clean, healthy environment.
- Economic Development/Small Business/Jobs-The Central and Neighborhood business districts must be vibrant through arts,entertainment, recreation etc.
Chris Bortz
26,502 votes
6.14%
- Occupation: Attorney
- Cincinnati City Council Member
- General Counsel - Towne Properties
- Tufts University; Bachelor's Degree (Philosophy & Drama)
- University of Arizona; Juris Doctor
- Charter Committee Board Member
- Chairmen of Economic Development Committee for Cincinnati City Council
Priorities:
- GO Cincinnati--economic development strategy
- Making Cincinnati an environmentally friendly city
- Streetcar
Leslie Ghiz
24,921 votes
5.78%
- Occupation: Attorney
- Neighborhood: North Avondale
- Education: Juris Doctorate
- Attorney, Ghiz Law, LLC
- Former Chief Labor Negotiator for the City
- 2005 Business Courier Forty Under Forty Class
Priorities:
- A Safer Cincinnati-making Cincinnati a safer place to live and work by reducing the violent crime rate
- Revitalizing Cincinnati-improving the quality of life for all residents of our 52 neighborhoods
- Standing up for Cincinnati-the fiscal watchdog on Council for our taxpayers; reducing taxes and wasteful spending
Laketa Cole
24,895 votes
5.77%
- Occupation: Councilmember
- President Pro Tem of Cincinnati City Council
- Graduate Aiken High School
- Graduate Wittenberg University, B.A. Political Science
- Council Aide former Mayor Dwight Tillery
- Council Aide former Councilmember Paul Booth
Priorities:
- Neighborhood/economic development
- Youth
- Increased access to City Hall
Jeff Berding
23,586 votes
5.47%
- Occupation: Cinci Bengals Director of Sales & Public Affairs
- Cincinnati City Councilmember
- MBA, Xavier University
- BA, Political Science, Miami University
Priorities:
- Reduce crime; Cincinnatians must feel safe.
- Economic development and economic empowerment; the financial health of the City and its people are interrelated.
- Improve neighborhood quality of life; build clean and safe neighborhoods of choice.
Chris R. Monzel
23,337 votes
5.41%
- Occupation: Engineer, City Councilman
- Neighborhood: Spring Grove Village
- Education: Purdue University, B.S. Aero-Engineering
- University of Cincinnati, M.S. Aero-Engineering
- Harvard University, Masters Public Policy
Priorities:
- Reducing crime and improving the quality of life in all neighborhoods.
- Business/economic development: attract new businesses, retain existing ones, especially small neighborhood businesses.
- Responsive city government - we must work smarter by eliminating waste and inefficiency.
Charlie Winburn
22,074 votes
5.12%
- Occupation: Consultant/Pastor
- Master's Degree from University of Cincinnati
- Served on Cincinnati City Council for 7 years
- Former Ohio Civil Rights Commission Member
- Community/neighborhood of residence: Mount Airy
Priorities:
- Safer Neighborhoods
- Schools
- Economic Opportunity, Jobs and Neighborhood Development
Minette Cooper
18,927 votes
4.39%
- Occupation: Community Activist
- Councilmember from 1995-2003, Vice Mayor from 1997-2001
- Degree from Howard University
- Chair of the Finance Committee, The Health, Children and Social Service Committee, and the Economic Development Committee
- Former School Teacher
Priorities:
- Youth Involvement + Broken children grow into broken adults, while healthy children build healthy communities.
- Safety + The primary responsibility of government.
- Economic Development + The key to rebuilding our city.
Sam Malone
17,481 votes
4.05%
- Occupation: Real Estate Manager
- Neighborhood of residence: Walnut Hills
- Education: Graduate, Vincennes University
- Age: 36
Priorities:
- 1. Safer Neighborhoods - Decrease violence by community criminal groups throughout the city
- 2. Economic Development - Strengthen community business districts
- 3. Workforce Development - Create and promote a viable Workforce Housing Initiative
Melanie Bates
15,369 votes
3.56%
- Occupation: Cincinnati School Board; Hospital liaison with the nonprofit
- Community/neighborhood of residence: North Avondale
Priorities:
- I am Determined to Make Cincinnati Safer
- Promote Economic Growth, Neighborhood Development and Job Creation
- Educational Reform
Pat Fischer
15,088 votes
3.50%
- Occupation: Lawyer/Partner at Keating Muething & Klekamp
- Past President, Pleasant Ridge Community Council
- Past President, Cincinnati Bar Assoc.
- Past President, Cincinnati Children's Museum
- Trustee, Hamilton County Mental Health and Recovery Services Bd
- Trustee, VISIONS Community Services Bd
- Active Member and Eu. Minister, St. Xavier Church, downtown Cincinnati
Priorities:
- Implement Pinpoint Policing programm which successfully has prevented crime without profiling, similar to what we did in Pleasant Ridge
- Start a minority controlled bank to create more jobs and business activity in urban areas, which will also cut crime and grow the city's tax base
- Force CPS to build and staff quality schools, as we did in Pleasant Ridge
Greg P. Harris
14,178 votes
3.29%
- Occupation: Public Policy Officer, KnowledgeWorks Foundation
- PhD, MA, Miami University
- Board Member, Governor's Workforce Policy Board
- Board Member, Jewish Community Relations Council
- Community: Northside
Priorities:
- Reinventing Government
- Neighborhood Development
- Workforce Development (Education and Training)
John Eby
14,025 votes
3.25%
- Occupation: Electrical Engineer
- Neighborhood: Westwood
- Education: Bachelor of Science Electrical Engineering Technology
- Vice-chair Citizens Complaint Authority; Community Action Agency
- Westwood Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation
- Westwood Civic Association
- Veteran Ohio Army National Guard 1/147th
Priorities:
- Clean and safe streets
- Neighborhood Business and Housing Development
- Education
Wendell Young
13,957 votes
3.24%
- Occupation: High School Teacher
- Retired Cincinnati Police Sergeant:1992
- Cincinnati Assistant Director of HR/EEO Officer: 1992- 1999
- Assistant to the Police Academy Commander: 1999-2000
- Diversity Manager & Training Institute Director/MSD of Greater Cincinnati: 2000-2005
- Recommended to President Clinton by U.S.Senator Howard Metzenbaum for appointment to U.S. Marshall for the Southern District of Ohio: 1994
- min. Past president:The Sentinel Police Association, Cincinnati Branch NAACP, two-time president Cincinnati Chapter National Forum for Black Public Ad
Priorities:
- Maintain and improve the basic services that Cincinnatians and perhaps take for granted.
- Maintain and repair of infrastructure - Address environmental issues, especialy air and water.
- Downtown & neighborhood development - Mass transit & highway issues.
Brian Garry
13,157 votes
3.05%
- Occupation: Proprietor, Green City EcoStruction
- BA in Arts, Theology, and Music Composition from Northern Kentucky University
- Associate's Degree in Liberal Arts from University of Cincinnati
- Lifelong Cincinnati resident who has been active in local politics for the past 25 years
- Long-term community advocate for neighborhoods across Cincinnati, including the West End, Bond Hill, and Over The Rhine
- Former music teacher at Sands Montessori and North Avondale Montessori
- Proud product of Cincinnati Public Schools, and proud father of two sons currently enrolled in CPS
Priorities:
- ONE Cincinnati - Creating Opportunity: For our youth to receive a good education and marketable training, and for our citizens to earn a livable wage
- Developing Safe, walkable Neighborhoods for all Cincinnati residents
- Working for Equality among our city's diverse voices, and a good life for all of Cincinnati's hardworking, middle-class families
Joan Kaup
8,483 votes
1.97%
- Occupation: VP of business development for Iacono Productions, downtown
- Community/neighborhood of residence: I live on Prospect Hill on the border of OTR and Mt Auburn
- BS in Marketing from UC
- MBA in Entrepreneurship from Xavier
Priorities:
- Incorporate Cincinnati's diversity and creativity in continued renaissance of its city and neighborhoods.
- Position and promote Cincinnati as desirable city to live, work and play thus increasing the city's population and revenues.
- Empower people to make informed decisions, and participate in improving our urban environment and neighborhoods.
Andre Harper
7,496 votes
1.74%
- Occupation: District Representative, Office of Senator Voinovich
- Community/neighborhood of residence: North Avondale
- Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (Tallahassee, Fl); B.S. Public Management (May 2003)
Priorities:
- My top priorities are eliminating crime, promoting economic development and improving the quality of life for all Cincinnatians.
- I will focus on this agenda because I believe that they all work together in order to improve the state of the city and everyone that dwells within.
Justin Jeffre
7,370 votes
1.71%
- Occupation: Publisher Cincinnati Beacon
- Multi Platinum Recording Artist
- Political and Media Activist
- Neighborhood: Clifton Heights
- Graduate of the School for Creative and Performing Arts 1991
- University of Cincinnati 1992-1995 studied English, History and Political Science
Priorities:
- Economic Development-Spending ED dollars more strategically.
- Public Safety-The cause of crime is failure to deal with the problem of inequality.
- Open Government-We need to have transparency in public policy decisions with citizen input and oversight.
Mitch Painter
5,130 votes
1.19%
- Occupation: Real Estate Developer
- BA Psychology
- Clifton Gaslight Resident
Priorities:
- Economic Development
- Violent Crime
- Public Transportation- Street Cars
Steve Pavelish
4,207 votes
0.98%
- Occupation: candidate - Cincinnati City Council
- Indiana University of Pennsylvania 1971 B.S. Business Mgt. / Economics
- in the process of retiring from the property rental business
- Clifton Heights / OTR
Priorities:
- neighborhood safety
- increase in small to mid size investments
- improved public education
Michael Earl Patton
3,145 votes
0.73%
- Occupation: Engineer
- M.S. in Aeronautical Engineering (U.C.)
- B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering (Purdue)
- B.A. in German (Purdue)
- B.S. in Physics (Purdue)
- Chairman, Board of Trustees, Community Land Co-operative of Cincinnati
- Community/neighborhood of residence: Oakley
Priorities:
- To attract industry and jobs, and reduce the population decline.
- To stop the multi-million dollar handouts to a favored few and give everyone a fair deal.
- To restore confidence in city government that it will address the problems and not deny they exist or paper them over.
George J. Zamary
2,204 votes
0.51%
- Occupation: Attorney
- Capital University Law School (J.D.)
- Ohio University (B.S., summa cum laude)
- Buckley King LLP (April 2006 - present)
- Rendigs, Fry, Kiely & Dennis (2001-2006)
- Rising Star - Super Lawyer, Ohio Law & Politics Magazine, 2005
- Know Theatre of Cincinnati, Board of Directors, President 2006, 2007
Priorities:
- Adding population (both residential and businesses)
- Overhaul government spending
- Safety
Basic candidate data supplied by the applicable elections official.
All candidates have been invited to supply additional information to Smart Voter.
Order of candidates is random and changes daily.
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Candidates Answer Questions
The League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area has asked
all candidates for this office to respond to
3 questions on Qualifications, Addressing priorities, and Regionalism.
Nonpartisan Information
- cet: Cincinnati Public Media video of 4-minute speech
News and Analysis
- Opening Debate: Cincinnati City Council candidates discuss how to develop neighborhoods
- Election Coverage of the Enquirer, Community Press and Recorder and Cincinnati.Com
- "Campaigns and Elections" information and analysis
- Hamilton County Board of Elections / Results
Partisan Information
- Cincinnati Charter Committee
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League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area Education Fund
