County Democratic Central Committee members from District 9 convene to select successor to Shontel Brown seat on County Council. [Photo || Joe Stills]
Highland Hills, OH — Board of Elections staffer Meredith Turner rolled over seven other contenders tonight to sweep to a first ballot victory for the Democratic Party nod to succeed Shontel Brown as District 9 County Councilwoman.
Turner won on the first ballot with 32 votes out of 54 cast. Warrensville Heights school board member Ray Freeman came in second with 9 votes.
The contest took place at Cuyahoga Community College's Corporate College East education center.
After her victory, Turner told the Real Deal that her win "was an opportunity to serve". She said that she plans to do a listening tour to hear what issues are important to her constituents, and to get ready for upcoming county budget hearings.
Turner, a former school teacher, has a master's degree in education from Cleveland State University. She also has an undergraduate degree from Chicago State University and an associate's degree from Tri-C.
The seat became vacant last week when Brown won following her general election victory in the 11th Congressional District race. Brown was sworn in as a member of Congress last week. The county charter provides that in-term vacancies be filled by the party of the exiting member.
Turner will finish Brown's term, which ends December 31, 2022. She plans to run next year in hopes of winning a full 4-year term.
Other candidates on the ballot tonight, besides Turner and Freeman included Patrice Brown, Marcia McCoy, Dontez Taylor, and Andre White, all of Cleveland; Nakeshia Nickerson, Village of Woodmere, and Isaac Powell from Bedford Heights.
District 9 includes almost all of Cleveland Ward 1 and a good chunk of Ward 4, four complete cities [Bedford, Bedford Heights, Shaker Heights, and Warrensville Heights], and five villages [Highland Hills, North Randall, Orange, Pepper Pike and Woodmere].
Shaker Heights precinct committee members, led by city leader Lisa Payne Jones, 3rd from left in rear, were key critical to Turner's victory. [Photo || Joe Stills]
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