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2021 Cleveland City Council election
17 seats on the Cleveland City Council; 9 seats needed for a majority
	Composition of the Cleveland City Council by political party
President before election; Kevin Kelley; Democratic	Elected President ; Blaine Griffin; Democratic

The 2021 Cleveland City Council election was held on November 2, 2021. The primary elections were held on September 14, 2021. All 17 seats on Cleveland City Council were up for election for four-year terms. Elections in Cleveland are officially nonpartisan, with the top two candidates from the primary election advancing to the general election, regardless of party.^[1]

Incumbent status

Two council members, Basheer Jones of Ward 7 and Council President Kevin Kelley of Ward 13, retired to run unsuccessfully for Mayor of Cleveland in the concurrent mayoral election.^[2]

Ward	Name	Entered office	Running
1	Joe Jones	January 2018	Yes
2	Kevin L. Bishop	January 2018	Yes
3	Kerry McCormack	April 2016	Yes
4	Marion Anita Gardner	June 2021	No
5	Delores Gray	May 2021	Yes
6	Blaine A. Griffin	May 2017	Yes
7	Basheer Jones	January 2018	No
8	Michael Polensek	January 1978	Yes
9	Kevin Conwell	November 2001	Yes
10	Anthony Hairston	January 2018	Yes
11	Brian Mooney	February 2020	Yes
12	Anthony Brancatelli	May 2005	Yes
13	Kevin J. Kelley	January 2005	No
14	Jasmin Santana	January 2018	Yes
15	Jenny Spencer	November 2020	Yes
16	Brian Kazy	January 2015	Yes
17	Charles J. Slife	January 2021	Yes

East Side

Ward 1

Councilman Joe Jones successfully ran for reelection.

Primary election results^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Joe Jones	2,118	65.76%
	Nonpartisan	Kimberly F. Brown	868	26.96%
	Nonpartisan	Aylwin S. Bridges	142	4.41%
	Nonpartisan	Marc Crosby	93	2.89%
Total votes			3,221	100.00

General election results^[4]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Joe Jones	2,809	67.97%
	Nonpartisan	Kimberly F. Brown	1,324	32.03%
Total votes			4,133	100.00

Ward 2

Councilman Kevin Bishop successfully ran for reelection.

Primary election results^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Kevin L. Bishop	1,520	73.75%
	Nonpartisan	Monique Moore	278	13.49%
	Nonpartisan	Azel Bolden	216	10.48%
	Nonpartisan	Bill Berry	47	2.28%
Total votes			2,061	100.00

General election results^[4]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Kevin L. Bishop	1,952	72.59%
	Nonpartisan	Monique Moore	737	27.41%
Total votes			2,689	100.00

Ward 3

Councilman Kerry McCormack successfully ran for reelection.

Primary election results^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Kerry McCormack	2,215	73.56%
	Nonpartisan	Ayat Amin	615	20.43%
	Nonpartisan	Mike Rogalski	181	6.01%
Total votes			3,011	100.00

General election results^[4]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Kerry McCormack	2,951	74.92%
	Nonpartisan	Ayat Amin	988	25.08%
Total votes			3,939	100.00

Ward 4

Campaign signs for City Council and Mayoral candidates in Buckeye–Shaker

Councilwoman Marion Anita Gardner was appointed by Cuyahoga County Probate Judge Anthony Russo to fill the seat of indicted Councilman Ken Johnson. Gardner chose not to run for election to a full term.^[5] Although he was legally barred from holding office, Johnson ran a campaign to regain his seat, though he would be eliminated in the primary.^[6]

Ward 4 would elect Democratic precinct committeewoman Deborah A. Gray, the twin sister of councilwoman Delores Gray, who unsuccessfully ran for election to a full term in Ward 5.^[7]

Primary election results^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Deborah A. Gray	670	26.70%
	Nonpartisan	Erick B. Walker	478	19.05%
	Nonpartisan	Craig E. Willis	320	12.75%
	Nonpartisan	Ashley R. Evans	243	9.69%
	Nonpartisan	Kenneth L. Johnson	190	7.57%
	Nonpartisan	Mario Snowden	149	5.94%
	Nonpartisan	Cecil Ekechukwu	141	5.62%
	Nonpartisan	Mike Shomo	95	3.79%
	Nonpartisan	Arnold Shurn	92	3.67%
	Nonpartisan	Vanessa Crumb	72	2.87%
	Nonpartisan	Rowland Mitchell	59	2.35%
Total votes			2,509	100.00

General election results^[4]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Deborah A. Gray	1,953	62.10%
	Nonpartisan	Erick B. Walker	1,140	36.25%
	Write-in		52	1.65%
Total votes			3,145	100.00

Ward 5

Councilwoman Delores Gray ran unsuccessfully for a full term after being appointed to fill the seat of retiring councilwoman Phyllis Cleveland. Gray would be unseated by Richard A. Starr, the director of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Cleveland.^[8]

Primary election results^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Delores Gray	534	47.72%
	Nonpartisan	Richard A. Starr	504	45.04%
	Nonpartisan	Dyrone W. Smith	81	7.24%
Total votes			1,119	100.00

General election results^[4]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Richard A. Starr	883	55.57%
	Nonpartisan	Delores Gray	702	44.18%
	Write-in		4	0.25%
Total votes			1,589	100.00

Ward 6

Councilman Blaine Griffin ran unopposed.

General election results^[4]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Blaine Griffin	2,202	97.09%
	Write-in		66	2.91%
Total votes			2,268	100.00

Ward 7

Incumbent Councilman Basheer Jones gave up his seat to run unsuccessfully for Mayor of Cleveland in the concurrent mayoral election.^[2] Jones would be succeeded by State Representative Stephanie Howse.^[7]

Primary election results^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Stephanie Howse	545	28.70%
	Nonpartisan	TJ Dow	474	24.96%
	Nonpartisan	Shana V. Roberts	329	17.32%
	Nonpartisan	Daniel Graves	250	13.16%
	Nonpartisan	Charlotte Perkins	126	6.64%
	Nonpartisan	Isiah X. Thomas	49	2.58%
	Nonpartisan	Antoinette M. Carter	47	2.47%
	Nonpartisan	Jeff Mixon	39	2.05%
	Nonpartisan	Mike Seals	20	1.05%
	Nonpartisan	Russ Gates	12	0.63%
	Nonpartisan	Nathaniel Cory Hartfield	8	0.42%
Total votes			1,899	100.00

General election results^[4]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Stephanie Howse	1,486	61.84%
	Nonpartisan	TJ Dow	917	38.16%
Total votes			2,403	100.00

Ward 8

Councilman Michael Polensek successfully ran for reelection.

Primary election results^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Michael Polensek	1,944	76.72%
	Nonpartisan	Aisia A. Jones	433	17.09%
	Nonpartisan	Donald E. Boyd	157	6.20%
Total votes			2,534	100.00

General election results^[4]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Michael Polensek	2,866	77.61%
	Nonpartisan	Aisia A. Jones	827	22.39%
Total votes			3,693	100.00

Ward 9

Councilman Kevin Conwell ran unopposed.

General election results^[4]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Kevin Conwell	2,039	100.00%
Total votes			2,039	100.00

Ward 10

Councilman Anthony Hairston ran unopposed.

General election results^[4]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Anthony T. Hairston	1,834	100.00%
Total votes			1,834	100.00

West Side

Ward 11

Councilman Brian Mooney successfully won election to a full term.

Primary election results^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Brian Mooney	777	45.87%
	Nonpartisan	Michael Hardy	493	29.10%
	Nonpartisan	Donna Woods	424	25.03%
Total votes			1,694	100.00

General election results^[4]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Brian Mooney	1,362	55.39%
	Nonpartisan	Michael Hardy	1,097	44.61%
Total votes			2,459	100.00

Ward 12

Councilman Anthony Brancatelli was unseated by lawyer Rebecca Maurer. Brancatelli was the only elected Councilmember to lose reelection.^[8]

Primary election results^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Anthony Brancatelli	974	45.79%
	Nonpartisan	Rebecca Maurer	895	42.08%
	Nonpartisan	Shalira Taylor	189	8.89%
	Nonpartisan	Tawayne McGee	69	3.24%
Total votes			2,127	100.00

General election results^[4]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Rebecca Maurer	1,558	51.18%
	Nonpartisan	Anthony Brancatelli	1,486	48.82%
Total votes			3,044	100.00

Ward 13

City Council President Kevin Kelley gave up his seat to run unsuccessfully for Mayor of Cleveland in the concurrent mayoral election.^[2] Voters replaced Kelley with community organizer and housing advocate Kris Harsh.^[1]

General election results^[4]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Kris Harsh	2,745	62.70%
	Nonpartisan	Kate Warren	1,633	37.30%
Total votes			4,378	100.00

Ward 14

Councilwoman Jasmine Santana successfully ran for reelection.

General election results^[4]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Jasmin Santana	1,042	65.45%
	Nonpartisan	Nelson Cintron Jr.	550	34.55%
Total votes			1,592	100.00

Ward 15

Councilwoman Jenny Spencer successfully won election to a full term.

General election results^[4]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Jenny Spencer	2,796	84.45%
	Nonpartisan	Chris Murray	515	15.55%
Total votes			3,311	100.00

Ward 16

Councilman Brian Kazy ran unopposed.

General election results^[4]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Brian Kazy	2,616	100.00%
Total votes			2,616	100.00

Ward 17

Councilman Charles J. Slife successfully won election to a full term.

Primary election results^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Charles J. Slife	2,704	57.05%
	Nonpartisan	Mary Kathleen O'Malley	1,367	28.84%
	Nonpartisan	Kenneth S. Trump	669	14.11%
Total votes			4,740	100.00

General election results^[4]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Charles J. Slife	4,316	62.89%
	Nonpartisan	Mary Kathleen O'Malley	2,547	37.11%
Total votes			6,863	100.00

Notes

^ Officially nonpartisan

References

^ ^a ^b Axelrod, Ben; Carey, Tyler (November 2, 2021). "5 new members elected to Cleveland City Council, with 2 incumbents losing their seats". WKYC. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c Richardson, Seth A. (June 16, 2021). "Eight file to run to succeed Mayor Frank Jackson in first open mayor's race since 2001". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j "September 14, 2021 Primary Election Official Results". Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. September 29, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q "November 2, 2021 General Election UNOFFICIAL ELECTION RESULTS". Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. November 2, 2021. Archived from the original on November 6, 2021. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
^ Higgs, Robert (June 7, 2021). "Cleveland City Council swears in Marion Anita Gardner to replace indicted Councilman Ken Johnson". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
^ Higgs, Robert (August 23, 2021). "Ken Johnson's felonies bar him from office, but he could still win the Cleveland Ward 4 election". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
^ ^a ^b Astolfi, Courtney (November 3, 2021). "Three women among Cleveland City Council's five new members". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
^ ^a ^b Hlavaty, Kaylyn (November 3, 2021). "Rebecca Maurer and Richard Starr beat incumbents in Cleveland City Council races". WEWS-TV. Retrieved November 12, 2021.

[1] Officially nonpartisan

[5_new-2] Axelrod, Ben; Carey, Tyler (November 2, 2021). "5 new members elected to Cleveland City Council, with 2 incumbents losing their seats". WKYC. Retrieved November 12, 2021.

[Eight_file-3] Richardson, Seth A. (June 16, 2021). "Eight file to run to succeed Mayor Frank Jackson in first open mayor's race since 2001". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved June 16, 2021.

[primary_results-4] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j "September 14, 2021 Primary Election Official Results". Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. September 29, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2021.

[general_results-5] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q "November 2, 2021 General Election UNOFFICIAL ELECTION RESULTS". Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. November 2, 2021. Archived from the original on November 6, 2021. Retrieved November 2, 2021.

[6] Higgs, Robert (June 7, 2021). "Cleveland City Council swears in Marion Anita Gardner to replace indicted Councilman Ken Johnson". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved November 12, 2021.

[7] Higgs, Robert (August 23, 2021). "Ken Johnson's felonies bar him from office, but he could still win the Cleveland Ward 4 election". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved November 12, 2021.

[three_women-8] Astolfi, Courtney (November 3, 2021). "Three women among Cleveland City Council's five new members". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved November 12, 2021.

[unseated_incumbents-9] Hlavaty, Kaylyn (November 3, 2021). "Rebecca Maurer and Richard Starr beat incumbents in Cleveland City Council races". WEWS-TV. Retrieved November 12, 2021.

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