Cincinnati City Council election: Get to know the 26 candidates on the 2025 ballot

CINCINNATI — Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 4, and City of Cincinnati residents will be tasked with voting for a new city council.

Cincinnati City Council holds nine seats, and all are at-large on the ballot with 26 candidates vying for the spots. While current council member Victoria Parks opted to resign, the eight other incumbent candidates are among the 26 people on the ballot. Each voter's ballot will also allow one write-in candidate.

The city council race is nonpartisan, but all three of Cincinnati's major political parties — Democratic, Republican and Charter Committee — have endorsed candidates, while some have also specified their own affiliations.

Here are the candidates voters can expect on their ballots:

Anna Albi

• Incumbent first elected to city council in 2023
• Sits on council's Budget and Finance Committee, Equitable Growth and Housing Committee, Healthy Neighborhoods Committee and Public Safety and Governance Committee
• Endorsed by the Democratic Party
• Campaign is focused on "fostering a safe community and reducing gun violence by addressing root causes such as food insecurity, housing and access to healthcare," according to her campaign website
• You can view all policies Albi is in favor of here

Audricia Brooks

• Cincinnati native who worked at the Cincinnati VA Medical Center for more than 29 years, where she headed the department's collective bargaining unit
• Not endorsed by any political party
• With her health care background, Brooks is most focused on the welfare of those most vulnerable in the community, the elderly, the young and those who are disabled
• A supporter of proportional representation and rank-choice voting
• You can click here to read more about Brooks and her campaign

Laketa Cole

• Formerly served on Cincinnati City Council from 2003 to 2011, and she was the first Black woman ever appointed to council, according to her campaign website
• Endorsed by the Charter Committee
• Campaign is focused on safer neighborhoods, accountability in the government and creating opportunities for all
• You can click here to learn more about Cole and her campaign

Jerry Corbett

• Cincinnati native who worked with Greater Cincinnati Water Works for more than 30 years
• Not endorsed by any political party, but specifies that he is a Democrat
• Platform focuses on five priorities: improving city services, making housing more affordable, helping small businesses in all of Cincinnati's 52 neighborhoods, prioritizing mental health and tackling the small things that matter, such as trash on sidewalks and graffiti
• You can click here to read more about Corbett and his campaign

Jeff Cramerding

• Served on city council for two terms now, being first elected in 2021 and then re-elected in 2023
• Sits as Chair of the Budget and Finance Committee and is also on the Equitable Growth and Housing Committee and Climate, Environment and Infrastructure Committee
• Endorsed by the Democratic Party
• Longtime advocate of mixed-income neighborhoods and a founding member of community development corporation Price Hill Will, according to his campaign website
• According to a WVXU report, he said he believes city council, the city manager and Cincinnati's police chief need to focus on "a more visible and community-engaged police force" as a foundation to reducing crime
• You can click here to learn more about Cramerding

Don Driehaus

• Cincinnati native with more than 30 years of experience in finance, including leadership roles at Cincinnati Financial/Institutional Investments and Gardison Baird Kehoe Financial
• Endorsed by the Charter Committee
• Running for city council to "get Cincinnati back to basics," according to his campaign website
• Told WVXU that, if elected, he'd introduce initiatives to pave and clean streets, as well as initiatives to deal with vagrancy
• You can click here to learn more about Driehaus and his campaign

Kevin Farmer

• Not endorsed by any political party
• Running for city council to "bring transparency, accountability and real representation back to our local government," according to his campaign website
• Campaign priorities are transparency between government and people, real violence prevention and investing in people, not just buildings
• You can click here to read more about Farmer and his campaign
• WCPO has previously reported on Farmer when he accused congressional candidate Rosemary Oglesby-Henry of allegedly pointing a gun at him

Gary Favors

• Cincinnati native and U.S. Army veteran with 25 years of experience as a special education teacher with Cincinnati Public Schools, most recently at North Avondale Montessori School
• Endorsed by the Republican Party
• Campaign priorities include public safety, pedestrian safety and alternatives for affordable housing, according to his campaign website
• You can click here to read more about Favors and his campaign

Steven P. Goodin

• A longtime litigator and former prosecutor, as well as a U.S. Army veteran, who was previously appointed to city council in 2020 but unsuccessfully retained the seat in 2021
• Endorsed by the Charter Committee
• Campaign platform is built on four priorities: more and better policing, repeal and replace connected communities, stop the fire sale of public assets and invest in youth
• You can click here to read more about Goodin's campaign

Ryan James

• A West End resident who has worked with several nonprofits and, if elected, would be the youngest Black man to sit on Cincinnati City Council
• Endorsed by the Democratic Party
• Campaign focuses include creating opportunity, access and trust, according to his campaign website
• You can click here to learn more about James and his campaign

Mark Jeffreys

• Another two-term incumbent candidate, who was first elected in 2021 and then reelected in 2023
• Serves as chair of the Equitable Growth and Housing Committee and is also on the Budget and Finance Committee, Climate, Environment and Infrastructure Committee and the Public Safety Committee
• Endorsed by the Democratic Party
• Based his campaign on making Cincinnati safer, cleaner and greener, according to his campaign website
• You can click here to read more about Jeffreys' campaign

Dawn Johnson

• Cincinnati native who is the current president of the North Avondale Neighborhood Association, the neighborhood where she was raised
• Endorsed by the Charter Committee
• Campaign priorities include repealing Connected Communities, creating Cincinnati's first Maternal Mental Health Mutual Fund, distributing free gun lockboxes citywide and more
• You can click here to read Johnson's full campaign platform and learn more about her

Scotty Johnson

• Lifelong Cincinnatian and former Cincinnati Police Department officer who was first elected to city council in 2021 and then reelected in 2023
• Endorsed by the Democratic Party
• Serves as Chair of the Public Safety and Governance Committee, and is also on the Equitable Growth and Housing Committee, the Budget and Finance Committee and the Healthy Neighborhoods Committee
• Campaign focuses on three key issues: jobs, housing and public safety, according to his website
• You can click here to read more about Johnson's campaign

Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney

• Cincinnati native was first appointed to city council in 2020 before she was elected in 2021 and 2023
• Endorsed by the Democratic Party
• Serves as Vice Mayor and chair of the Healthy Neighborhoods Committee, and she is also on the Budget and Finance Committee, Public Safety and Governance Committee and the Equitable Growth and Housing Committee
• Wants to accomplish three things during her next tenure on city council: increase economic opportunity, increase affordable housing and homeownership and to improve safety and quality of life in Cincinnati, according to WVXU
• You can click here to read more about Kearney's campaign

Liz Keating

• Cincinnati native who was first appointed to council in 2020 and was then elected in 2021 before failing to reclaim her seat in 2023
• Endorsed by the Republican Party
• Campaign focuses on "keeping families safe, maintaining our roads and protecting tax dollars," according to her website
• Told WVXU that her focus, if reelected, would be driving efficiency, safety and accountability
• You can click here to learn more about Keating and her campaign

Dale Mallory

• A West End resident who has retired from GE Aerospace
• Not endorsed by any political party
• Has four pillars to his campaign: environmental justice and lead abatement, entrepreneurship and green innovation, new jobs and collaboration and agriculture education and youth empowerment
• You can click here to read more about Mallory and his campaign

Linda Matthews

• Lifelong Cincinnatian who is running "to bring fresh, innovative, data-driven solutions to City Hall," according to her website
• Endorsed by the Republican Party
• Platform has six focuses: public safety, economic development, education and opportunity, economic growth, smart city solutions and infrastructure
• You can click here to learn more about Matthews and her platform

Brandon Nixon

• Former member of the Kennedy Heights Community Council, according to his campaign Facebook page
• Not endorsed by any political party
• Told WVXU that he's focused on strengthening public safety, expanding affordable housing, supporting small businesses and ensuring every neighborhood, including its youth, has a voice at City Hall
• You can click here to stay up to date with Nixon's campaign

Evan Nolan

• Cincinnati native who was appointed to council in 2024 and currently serves on the Budget and Finance Committee and Equitable Growth and Housing Committee
• Endorsed by the Democratic Party
• Campaign's key issues are economic opportunity, neighborhood investment, government accountability and safe and welcoming communities
• You can click here to learn more about Nolan and his campaign

Meeka D. Owens

• Was first elected to council in 2021 before being reelected in 2023
• Endorsed by the Democratic Party
• Chair of the Climate, Environment and Infrastructure Committee and also serves on the Equitable Growth and Housing Committee and the Budget and Finance Committee
• Told WVXU that, if reelected, she wants to invest in Cincinnati families, saying, "This isn't about one policy, it is about wraparound resources for residents that are also driven by listening to the needs of the community
• You can click here to learn more about Owens' campaign

Raffel Prophett

• Cincinnati native who served for more than 30 years with the Cincinnati Fire Department, where he became a district chief, as well as decades with the U.S. Army and the National Guard
• Not endorsed by any specific political party, but specifies that he's a democrat on his campaign website
• Wants to focus on creating safer neighborhoods, fostering economic opportunities and building vibrant and inclusive communities, according to his campaign website
• You can click here to learn more about Prophett and his campaign

Stephan Pryor

• Born and raised in Cincinnati, and the son of Cincinnati boxing legend Aaron "The Hawk" Pryor
• Pryor told WVXU that if elected, he plans on introducing a campaign regarding repaving streets and infrastructure, such as bridges
• Pryor also said he'd tackle reducing crime with youth employment opportunities, cleaning streets and adding cameras to all parks, per WVXU

Christopher E.C. Smitherman

• Former vice mayor of Cincinnati, who was first on city council from 2003 to 2005 and was then elected in 2011 before being reelected in 2013 and 2017
• Previously ran for mayor in 2021 before dropping out, and ran for Hamilton County Commissioner in 2022, losing to Stephanie Summerow Dumas
• Not endorsed by any political party
• If elected, Smitherman said he will focus on reducing crime and supporting police, listening to residents on development issues and making sure tax dollars are spent on essentials, according to his social media
• You can click here to follow along with Smitherman's campaign

Seth Walsh

• First appointed to city council in 2022 before he was elected in 2023
• Serves on the Budget and Finance Committee, Equitable Growth and Housing Committee and the Climate, Environment and Infrastructure Committee
• Endorsed by the Democratic Party
• Campaign platform is based on four key issues: community development, affordable housing, small business support and growing Cincinnati, according to his website
• You can click here to learn more about Walsh and his campaign

Donald Washington

• Cincinnati native and U.S. Air Force veteran
• Not endorsed by any political party and specifies that he's running as an independent
• Wants to be a voice for the people, to push for solutions that actually work and to create opportunities that lift everyone in our neighborhoods, according to his website
• Campaign is centered on five initiatives: reviving the Citizens Committee for Youth, launching a gun buyback program, valuing business owners, a trauma healing initiative and the "Hard Knock Rose" program, according to his website
• You can click here to read more about Washington and his campaign

Aaron Weiner

• Cincinnati native and longtime realtor
• Endorsed by the Charter Committee
• Running for council "to restore common sense and accountability to local government," according to his website
• Campaign has six priorities: core city services, public safety, development, economic growth, transparency and quality of life
• You can click here to read more about Weiner and his campaign

You can click here to view your sample ballot.