Mayoral election in Cincinnati, Ohio (2021)
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Congressional special elections • Local ballot measures • School boards • Municipal • Recalls • How to run for office |
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← 2017
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| 2021 Cincinnati elections |
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| Election dates |
| Filing deadline: February 18, 2021 |
| Primary election: May 4, 2021 General election: November 2, 2021 |
| Election stats |
| Offices up: Mayor |
| Total seats up: 1 (click here for other city elections) |
| Election type: Nonpartisan |
| Other municipal elections |
| U.S. municipal elections, 2021 |
Hamilton County Clerk of Courts Aftab Pureval defeated Cincinnati Councilman and former mayor David Mann in the general election for mayor of Cincinnati on November 2, 2021.[1] Pureval received 66 percent of the vote and Mann received 34 percent of the vote. Pureval was elected to serve a four-year term. The two advanced from a six-person primary on May 4 in which Pureval received 39.1% and Mann received 29.1%.
This election took place following the arrest of three of the nine city council members on felony corruption charges in 2020. The charges stemmed from allegations the members had taken bribes from developers for city business. One of those arrested, P.G. Sittenfeld, was considered the frontrunner in the mayoral election according to NBC News.[2][3] A fourth council member, Wendell Young, was charged with a third-degree felony count of tampering with records in April 2021.[4]
In a September 21 debate, both candidates referenced the corruption charges in stating their case to be mayor. Mann said that his experience in city hall would allow him to mentor the next city council, which he said would likely be younger and more inexperienced due to the city's term limits and the resignations following the corruption charges. Pureval said that he was a total newcomer to city hall who would continue to clean up corruption and said his firing of 15 people in the clerk of courts office was an instance where he had already done that.[5]
Although the elections for and position of the mayor are officially nonpartisan, the candidates running were affiliated with political parties. Both Mann and Pureval were Democrats.[6] The last Republican to serve as mayor was Willis Gradison, who left office in 1971.
Mayor John Cranley was not able to file for re-election in 2021 due to term limits.[7] The other four candidates in the primary election were state Sen. Cecil Thomas, Gavi Begtrup, Herman Najoli, and Raffel Prophett. The filing deadline for this election was February 18, 2021.
The mayor serves as the city's chief executive and is responsible for proposing a budget, signing legislation into law, and appointing departmental directors. He or she presides over council meetings, proposes legislation for discussion, and holds the power to appoint or remove committee heads, but does not have the authority to vote. The mayor also represents the city on the state, national and international levels.[8][9]
Contents
- 1 Candidates and election results
- 2 Candidate profiles
- 3 Polls
- 4 Campaign finance
- 5 Noteworthy endorsements
- 6 Timeline
- 7 Campaign ads
- 8 Debates and forums
- 9 Campaign themes
- 10 Mayoral partisanship
- 11 Election history
- 12 Noteworthy events
- 13 What was at stake?
- 14 Additional elections on the ballot
- 15 About the city
- 16 See also
- 17 External links
- 18 Footnotes
Candidates and election results[edit]
General election for Mayor of Cincinnati
Aftab Pureval defeated David Mann in the general election for Mayor of Cincinnati on November 2, 2021.
Candidate |
% |
Votes |
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| ✔ |
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Aftab Pureval (Nonpartisan) |
65.8
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33,799 |
|
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David Mann (Nonpartisan) |
34.2
|
17,603 | |
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Total votes: 51,402 | |||
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Nonpartisan primary for Mayor of Cincinnati
The following candidates ran in the primary for Mayor of Cincinnati on May 4, 2021.
Candidate |
% |
Votes |
||
| ✔ |
|
Aftab Pureval (Nonpartisan) |
39.1
|
13,045 |
| ✔ |
|
David Mann (Nonpartisan) |
29.1
|
9,707 |
|
|
Cecil Thomas (Nonpartisan) |
16.4
|
5,476 | |
|
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Gavi Begtrup (Nonpartisan) 
|
9.6
|
3,185 | |
|
|
Raffel Prophett (Nonpartisan) |
3.5
|
1,165 | |
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Herman Najoli (Nonpartisan)
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2.3
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760 | |
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Total votes: 33,338 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Kelli Prather (Nonpartisan)
- Adam Koehler (Nonpartisan)
- Tyra Oldham (Nonpartisan)
- Wendell Young (Nonpartisan)
Candidate profiles[edit]
This section includes candidate profiles created in one of two ways. Either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey or Ballotpedia staff created a profile after identifying the candidate as noteworthy.[10] Ballotpedia staff compiled profiles based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements.
Incumbent: No
Political Office:
Biography: Mann earned a bachelor's degree in biochemical sciences from Harvard College and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. His professional experience includes operating a law practice. He served in the U.S. Navy for four years.
Sources: David Mann's 2021 campaign website, "Priorities As Mayor," accessed October 13, 2021; David Mann's 2021 campaign website, "About David Mann," accessed October 13, 2021
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Mayor of Cincinnati in 2021
Incumbent: No
Political Office: Hamilton County Clerk of Courts (Assumed office: 2017)
Biography: Pureval earned a B.A. in political science from Ohio State University and a J.D. from the University of Cincinnati College of Law. Pureval's professional experience includes working as counsel for Procter & Gamble and as an attorney with White & Case LLP. Pureval ran for the U.S. House in 2018.
Sources: Aftab Pureval’s 2021 campaign website, “Issues,” accessed October 13, 2021; LinkedIn, "Aftab Pureval," accessed October 13, 2021
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Mayor of Cincinnati in 2021
Polls[edit]
- See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
If you are aware of polls conducted in this race, please email us.
Campaign finance[edit]
The chart below details contributions and expenditures for candidates in this race. The pre-general campaign finance deadline is October 21.
| Click here to see campaign finance information in the May 4 primary | |||
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Noteworthy endorsements[edit]
This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes links to endorsement lists published on campaign websites, if available. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please email us.
Click the links below to see endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites, if available.
| Noteworthy endorsements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Endorsement | Mann | Pureval |
| Elected officials | ||
| U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio)[11] | ✔ | |
| State Sen. Cecil Thomas (D)[12] | ✔ | |
| Vice Mayor Christopher Smitherman[13] | ✔ | |
| Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey (D)[13] | ✔ | |
| Individuals | ||
| Former mayor Charlie Luken[13] | ✔ | |
| Former mayor Mark Mallory[13] | ✔ | |
| Former Ohio Democratic Party Chairman David Pepper[14] | ✔ | |
| Former mayor Roxanne Qualls[15] | ✔ | |
| Former mayor Jerry Springer[13] | ✔ | |
| Organizations | ||
| AAPI Victory Fund[16] | ✔ | |
| Click here to see a list of endorsements in the May 4 primary | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Timeline[edit]
2021[edit]
Campaign ads[edit]
This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.
David Mann[edit]
Mann did not release any campaign ads.
Aftab Pureval[edit]
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Debates and forums[edit]
October 21, 2021[edit]
Mann and Pureval participated in a debate on PBS. The debate was moderated by WVXU Cincinnati Edition host Michael Monks and presented in partnership with WVXU and the Cincinnati Regional Chamber. A video of the debate is embedded below.
October 5, 2021[edit]
Mann and Pureval participated in a debate on WLWT. The debate was moderated by station anchor Sheree Paolello.[19] Click here to view a full video of the debate.
September 21, 2021[edit]
Mann and Pureval participated in a debate at Xavier University, sponsored by the university, The Enquirer, and WVXU.[5] A video of the debate is embedded below.
Campaign themes[edit]
- See also: Campaign themes
David Mann[edit]
Mann’s campaign website stated the following:
| “ |
Our beloved City has taken incredible hits in recent months with three out of nine members of council indicted on serious federal charges. The highest priority for the next Mayor of Cincinnati must be to restore honor at City Hall. We must institute safeguards which make graft, bribery and illegal conduct by members of council and any city employee as rare as possible. Even more important, we must build on these measures to earn back the trust and respect of all Cincinnatians. Until we have done so, we cannot move forward in the ways which are essential. With our house in order, we can pursue these additional goals:
To me, public service is a critical calling. It matters who serves and the integrity with which they do so. I count my twenty seven years of elected service as a great privilege. I have tried every day of my work to make smart, thoughtful decisions in the public interest as God has given me the wisdom and courage to do so. In all things political, balance is critical as we navigate a correct path given competing arguments and interests. My experience, talents and reputation for collaboration are well suited to leading a council which will be one of the least experienced and youngest in history. I offer stability at a moment when it is most needed at City Hall. [20] |
” |
| —David Mann’s campaign website (2021)[21] | ||
Aftab Pureval[edit]
Pureval’s campaign website stated the following:
| “ |
Rebuilding our Economy COVID-19 has shone a light on the inequities in our society. Black and brown people, communities and businesses have been disproportionately affected by COVID due to systemic racism. We need to grow, but we need to grow equitably. We must take on the inequities in our justice, health care, housing and economic systems. As Mayor, I will put people first and prioritize making every Cincinnatian proud of their city. Public Safety We must also leverage our crisis response services in a more effective and efficient way. When 911 is called, there’s a good chance the services aren’t appropriate for the situation’s needs. As Mayor, I will work to expand 911 services to include unarmed, trained professionals to handle response calls. This can free up police officers to do their work and more effectively build relationships in the city. These efforts, along with fully funding the Citizen Complaint Authority, can make a tangible difference as we rebuild our trust and bonds with those serving in uniform. Reforming our justice system is not just important for our Black and brown communities; it’s important for all of us. Affordable Housing We also need a real commitment to tenants’ rights. We need a housing court to hold bad landlords accountable and support tenants and homeowners who want to grow with their neighborhoods. And we have to balance the playing field in eviction court by working to ensure greater access to lawyers and legal services for tenants who can’t afford representation. For too long our city has not been committed to affordable housing. As Mayor, I will change that. Basic Services |
” |
| —Aftab Pureval’s campaign website (2021)[22] | ||
Mayoral partisanship[edit]
Cincinnati has a Democratic mayor. As of November 2021, 63 mayors in the largest 100 cities by population are affiliated with the Democratic Party, 26 are affiliated with the Republican Party, four are independents, six identify as nonpartisan or unaffiliated, and one mayor's affiliation is unknown. While most mayoral elections in the 100 largest cities are nonpartisan, most officeholders are affiliated with a political party. Click here for a list of the 100 largest cities' mayors and their partisan affiliations.
Election history[edit]
2017[edit]
The city of Cincinnati, Ohio, held an election for the mayor's office on November 7, 2017. Mayor John Cranley ran for a second four-year term against Yvette Simpson, a member of the Cincinnati City Council. Cranley was re-elected with 54 percent of the vote. The mayorship is a nonpartisan position, but both candidates were considered Democrats.[23]
| Mayor of Cincinnati, General Election, 2017 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 John Cranley Incumbent |
53.52% | 33,446 |
| Yvette Simpson | 46.48% | 29,045 |
| Total Votes | 62,491 | |
| Source: Hamilton County Board of Elections, "2017 General Election Official Results," November 22, 2017 | ||
| Mayor of Cincinnati, Primary Election, 2017 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Yvette Simpson |
45.16% | 10,702 |
| John Cranley Incumbent |
34.39% | 8,150 |
| Rob Richardson | 20.45% | 4,846 |
| Total Votes | 23,698 | |
| Source: Hamilton County Board of Elections, "2017 Primary Election Results," accessed May 19, 2017 | ||
Noteworthy events[edit]
City council arrests and charges[edit]
Between 2020 and 2021, four city council members were charged and arrested in connection to various crimes. These incidents helped make corruption and internal issues in city hall an important issue in this race. This section details these incidents.
On Feb. 25, 2020, Tamaya Dennard was arrested and charged with wire fraud, bribery, and attempted extortion.[24] According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Ohio, Dennard "allegedly requested between $10,000 and $15,000" in exchange for votes on issues before the city council.[25] Dennard resigned on March 2, saying in a statement, "It is with great sadness that I announce my resignation, effective today, March 2, 2020. The last thing I want is to be a distraction from the work that needs to be done for this city."[26] She entered a guilty plea on a charge of wire fraud in federal court on June 29 and was sentenced to 18 months in prison.[27] The bribery and attempted extortion charges were dropped.[28]
On Nov. 10, 2020, Jeff Pastor was arrested on federal bribery charges. He was charged with 10 counts, including wire fraud, bribery, attempted extortion by a government official, and money laundering.[29] Pastor was suspended from the city council on Nov. 23.[30] At the time of the 2021 mayoral election, Pastor's trial date was set for May 2022.[31]
On Nov. 19, 2020, P.G. Sittenfeld was arrested on charges that he accepted bribes in exchange for favorable votes. He was charged with two counts of honest services wire fraud, two counts of bribery, and two counts of attempted extortion by a government official.[32][33] Sittenfeld was suspended from the city council on Dec. 7.[34] At the time of the 2021 mayoral election, Sittenfeld's trial date was set for June 2022.[35]
On April 15, 2021, Wendell Young was indicted on one charge of tampering with records. Special prosecutor Patrick Hanley said that Young "knowingly and with the purpose to defraud, destroyed text messages that belonged to a government entity."[36] Young's lawyer, Scott Croswell, said, "I reviewed the indictment and we intend to defend it vigorously."[37] A vote to suspend Young from the council on May 26 failed. The vote required seven members to approve, but only six of the eight members voted to suspend Young while two members abstained.[38]
What was at stake?[edit]
Report a story for this election[edit]
Ballotpedia researches issues in local elections across the United States, but information availability is a challenge for us in many areas. Please contact us about the issues that impact your local election. Note that not all submissions may meet Ballotpedia's coverage requirements for inclusion.
Candidate survey[edit]
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Ballotpedia invites candidates to participate in its annual survey. |
Additional elections on the ballot[edit]
- See also: Ohio elections, 2021
May 4, 2021
- Mayoral election in Cincinnati, Ohio (2021)
- Cincinnati, Ohio, Issue 1, Council Member Successor Designation Charter Amendment (May 2021)
- Cincinnati, Ohio, Issue 2, Council Member Pre-conviction Suspension Charter Amendment (May 2021)
- Cincinnati, Ohio, Issue 3, Affordable Housing Trust Fund Charter Amendment (May 2021)
November 2, 2021
- Cincinnati Public Schools, Ohio, elections (2021)
- City elections in Cincinnati, Ohio (2021)
- Mayoral election in Cincinnati, Ohio (2021)
- Cincinnati, Ohio, Issue 3, Mayor and City Council Procedures, Requirements, and Compensation Charter Amendment Initiative (November 2021)
- Hamilton County, Ohio, Issue 1, Property Tax Increase for Children Services (November 2021)
- Hamilton County, Ohio, Issue 29, Great Parks of Hamilton County Property Tax Levy (November 2021)
About the city[edit]
- See also: Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio. As of 2013, its population was 297,517.[39]
City government[edit]
- See also: Mayor-council government and Council-manager government
The city government of Cincinnati blends elements of the strong-mayor and council-manager systems. While the mayor serves as the city's chief executive officer and the city council serves as the city's primary legislative body, a city-manager, whom the mayor appoints and the city council approves, serves as the city's chief administrative officer.[40]
Demographics[edit]
The following table displays demographic data provided by the United States Census Bureau.
| Demographic data for Cincinnati, Ohio (2015) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati | Ohio | |
| Total population: | 297,397 | 11,605,090 |
| Land area (square miles): | 78 | 40,861 |
| Race and ethnicity[41] | ||
| White: | 51.1% | 82.4% |
| Black/African American: | 42.8% | 12.2% |
| Asian: | 2% | 1.9% |
| Native American: | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0% | 0% |
| Two or more: | 2.8% | 2.5% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 3% | 3.4% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 85.8% | 89.1% |
| College graduation rate: | 33.1% | 26.1% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $33,604 | $49,429 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 30.5% | 19.6% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) | ||
See also[edit]
| Cincinnati, Ohio | Ohio | Municipal government | Other local coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
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External links[edit]
Footnotes[edit]
- ↑ WLWT, "Cincinnati mayoral race: Aftab Pureval, David Mann to face off in November," May 4, 2021
- ↑ NBC News, "Third Cincinnati council member arrested on federal corruption charges," November 20, 2020
- ↑ WVXU, "Explaining Issues 1 And 2, The Anti-Corruption Amendments On Cincinnati's May Ballot," April 15, 2021
- ↑ Cincinnati Enquirer, "Cincinnati City Councilman Wendell Young charged with felony in 'Gang of 5' texting case," April 15, 2021
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 The Enquirer, "Cincinnati mayor debate: Aftab Pureval and David Mann talk kites, genes, and 'lying.'" September 22, 2021
- ↑ Both candidates previously ran for election to partisan offices as Democrats: Mann for U.S. House in the 1990s and Pureval for Hamilton County Clerk of Courts in 2017.
- ↑ WLWT5, "2021 will bring changing of the guard to Cincinnati politics," January 1, 2021
- ↑ Cincinnati City Charter, 3.1-3, accessed October 27, 2014
- ↑ City of Cincinnati, "Office of the Mayor," accessed October 27, 2014
- ↑ In battleground primaries, Ballotpedia based its selection of noteworthy candidates on polling, fundraising, and noteworthy endorsements. In battleground general elections, all major party candidates and any other candidates with the potential to impact the outcome of the race were included.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 The Enquirer, "Cincinnati mayor race: Sen. Sherrod Brown endorses Aftab Pureval," September 21, 2021
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Cincinnati Business Courier, "Former Pureval rival endorses him; Mann says it's about his dispute with unions," September 17, 2021
- ↑ 13.00 13.01 13.02 13.03 13.04 13.05 13.06 13.07 13.08 13.09 13.10 13.11 13.12 13.13 13.14 The Enquirer, "Former mayors weigh in on possible new mayors: Mark Mallory for Aftab Pureval; Charlie Luken for David Mann," May 1, 2021
- ↑ News India Times, "Aftab Pureval, running for Cincinnati mayor, gets major endorsement," June 24, 2021
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 News India Times, "Mayoral candidate for Cincinnati gains another endorsement," October 25, 2021
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 India West, "AAPI Victory Fund Endorses Indian American Mayoral Candidate for Cincinnati," April 4, 2021
- ↑ 314 Action, "Organization Helped Elect over 100 Scientists at the State and Local Levels in 2020," March 15, 2021
- ↑ Twitter, "Collective PAC on April 18, 2021," accessed April 20, 2021
- ↑ WLWT, "Cincinnati mayoral debate: Aftab Pureval and David Mann," October 5, 2021
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ David Mann’s campaign website, “Priorities,” accessed April 20, 2021
- ↑ Aftab Pureval’s campaign website, “Issues,” accessed April 20, 2021
- ↑ WVXU.com, "A Closer Look At Candidates In Cincinnati's Mayoral Primary," April 19, 2017
- ↑ Cincinnati.com, "'Send a little help to me today.' How the Tamaya Dennard alleged bribery scandal unfolded," February 25, 2020
- ↑ The United States District Attorney's Office - Southern District of Ohio, "Cincinnati City Council president charged with honest services wire fraud, bribery, attempted extortion," February 25, 2020
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedresigned - ↑ Fox 19 NOW, "Former Councilwoman Tamaya Dennard pleads guilty to wire fraud," June 29, 2020
- ↑ Fox 19 NOW, "Tamaya Dennard reports to federal prison in West Virginia," June 1, 2021
- ↑ Fox 19, "Cincinnati City Councilman Jeff Pastor arrested on federal bribery charges, feds say", Nov. 10, 2020
- ↑ Cincinnati.com, "Jeff Pastor suspended from Cincinnati City Council after bribery arrest," November 23, 2020
- ↑ WCPO Cincinnati, "Judge sets May 2022 trial date in corruption case against suspended City Councilman Jeff Pastor," July 20, 2021
- ↑ ‘’Scribd’’, “P.G. Sittenfeld Indictment”, accessed Nov. 19, 2020
- ↑ ‘’WLWT5’’, “Cincinnati council member P.G. Sittenfeld arrested on federal corruption charges”, Nov. 19, 2020
- ↑ Cincinnati.com, "'Extremely disappointed.' Hamilton County Democratic chair slams P.G. Sittenfeld for not resigning from Cincinnati City Council," December 7, 2020
- ↑ Fox 19 NOW, "P.G. Sittenfeld claims innocence, plans to fight charges until very end," September 7, 2021
- ↑ Cincinnati Enquirer, "Cincinnati City Councilman Wendell Young charged with felony in 'Gang of 5' texting case," April 15, 2021
- ↑ Fox 19 Now, "Cincinnati City Councilman Wendell Young indicted," April 15, 2021
- ↑ Cincinnati.com, "Effort to suspend Cincinnati City Councilman Wendell Young falls short," May 26, 2021
- ↑ U.S. Census Bureau, "State and County Quick Facts," accessed October 27, 2014
- ↑ Cincinnati City Charter, Art. 2.1-3; 3.1-3; 4.1-3, accessed October 27, 2014
- ↑ Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
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