Cleveland Hts. mayor recalled...Sept 9, 2025 primary election results for Cuyahoga County, including races for Cleveland City Council, mayoral races in Cleveland Hts, East Cleveland...By Clevelandurbannews.com, Ohio's Black digital news leader
Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com
By Kathy Wray Coleman, editor, associate publisher
CLEVELAND, Ohio-Of particular interest to the Black community, the Sept. 9, 2025 primary election saw voters cast ballots in Cuyahoga County for Cleveland City Council races and mayoral races in East Cleveland and Cleveland Hts. Also on the ballot was the recall effort against Cleveland Hts. Mayor Kahlil Seren, who is Black, and the primary for a new mayor in Cleveland Hts. since Seren failed to make the ballot for a reelection bid.
According to unofficial results of the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, Seren, 46 and the city's first mayor, was stunningly recalled with 82 per cent of the vote, voters voting to oust him from office following heightened controversy and continual scrutiny by Cleveland's mainstream media.
At one point, Seren publicly told Cleveland Hts. City Council, "I am not your Negro," an indication of the extent of the fallout.
Regarding the Cleveland City Council primary races, the top two vote-getters will proceed to the general election on Nov. 4, though incumbent Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb and his opponent, Laverne Jones Gore, were not on the primary ballot since they are the only two candidates running for Cleveland mayor.
Below are the results in key races per the unofficial results of the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections.
CLEVELAND CITY COUNCIL RESULTS IN CLEVELAND'S MAJORITY BLACK EAST SIDE WARDS IN OPPOSED RACES (CANDIDATES WITH NO OPPOSITION, LIKE WARD 6 COUNCILMAN BLAINE GRIFFIN (ALSO COUNCIL PRESIDENT) AND RACES WITH JUST TWO CANDIDATES WILL APPEAR ON THE NOV. 4 GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT)
The Cleveland City Council, reduced from 17 to 15 members beginning in 2026 due to population decline and redistricting as required by the city charter, saw few surprises relative to the redistricted wards, which forced some incumbent councilpersons to run against each other.
In closely watched city council races, incumbent Ward 1 Councilman Joe Jones will face state Rep. Juanita Brent in November, Jones winning 60 per cent to Brent's 30 per cent, and Councilwoman Deborah Gray will face Erich V. Stubbs for the Ward 3 seat.
Councilpersons Rebecca Maurer and Richard Starr will face each other next month in the Ward 5 contest, Starr the top vote-getter on Tuesday with 70 per cent of the vote.
The battle for the new Ward 7 seat drew newcomers facing off in November, namely Austin M. Davis and Mohhamad Faraj, and Ward 8 saw Councilwoman Stephanie Howse-Jones as the lead vote-getter with 62 per cent of the vote. She will face second-place finisher Charlotte Perkins in November.
Ward 9 Councilman Kevin Conwell, who finished first with 77 per cent of the vote, will face activist Alana Bell.
SUBURBAN RACES
Turning to key suburban races, Jim Petras finished first in the race for Cleveland Hts. mayor and will face Councilwoman Davita Russell for the November runoff, while East Cleveland Mayor Lateek Shabazz finished second to Sandra Morgan, both advancing to the November election.
Stay tuned for our upcoming Nov. 4, 2025 general election coverage.
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Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com are the most-read Black digital newspaper and blog in Ohio and the Midwest. Tel: 216-659-0473. Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com.
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