Board of Elections rejects bid to kick Pureval off mayoral ballot

 

The Hamilton County Board of Elections Tuesday unanimously rejected a bid by a conservative attorney to keep Clerk of Courts Aftab Pureval off of the May 4 primary ballot.

 

Attorney Curt Hartman and complainant Mark Miller said Pureval’s petitions did not include an affidavit by signature gatherers required by the city charter.

 

Hartman says if the board rejects this petition, "you are effectively changing the city charter."

 

Pureval’s attorney, Evan Nolan, said Pureval used the same petitions provided to every other mayoral candidate and if the Board of Elections tossed Pureval from the ballot, it would have to eliminate every candidate.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2021/03/02/boe-purveal-challenge.html

 

Elections commission could tighten campaign finance rules, impact Pureval campaign

 

The city of Cincinnati’s top attorney has given the commission that oversees city elections new advice that will impact how much money candidates for city office can transfer from another campaign account.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2021/03/10/campaign-finance-rules-changes.html

 

Pureval to jettison some campaign funds after election panel’s reversal

 

A leading candidate for Cincinnati mayor will dispose of more than $22,000 in campaign contributions after a panel voted unanimously to change its interpretation of the city’s campaign finance rules Thursday.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2021/03/12/election-panels-reversal-means-pureval-will-jettis.html

Pureval’s recovery plan calls for city-backed business loans, financial aid to attract residents

 

Mayoral candidate Aftab Pureval unveiled a sweeping post-pandemic economic recovery plan for the city Wednesday, including a city-backed small business loan program and the potential for cash incentives to remote workers who choose to make Cincinnati their home.

 

More below:
https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2021/03/25/pureval-releases-mayoral-plan.html

Mann takes aim at Pureval with pledge

 

Cincinnati Councilman David Mann challenged Hamilton County Clerk of Courts Aftab Pureval and the other four mayoral candidates to sign a pledge to serve all four years if they are elected mayor in November.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2021/04/09/mann-takes-aim-at-pureval-with-pledge.html

 

Cincinnati mayoral candidate’s recovery plan calls for ’15-minute city’

 

Wherever you live in Cincinnati, mayoral candidate Gavi Begtrup wants you to be only 15 minutes from basic needs without needing to own a car.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2021/04/12/mayoral-candidate-s-recovery-plan-calls-for-15-mi.html

 

Hmm, with Cincinnati blessed with so many NBDs that's a possibility.

11 hours ago, GCrites80s said:

Hmm, with Cincinnati blessed with so many NBDs that's a possibility.

The City has essentially already mapped out where this could be implemented:

https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/sites/planning/assets/File/Plan Cincinnati Neighborhood Centers.pdf

Comment from Aftab about how we should spend the money from the relief fund. Just wanted to point out him stating about growing our skyline (unless he’s talking about skyline chili).  Not trying to promote anyone over someone else, but feels like the younger candidates are more open to allowing out of town developers come in and build, rather than just letting whoever gave me campaign funds get the bids.

 

“But first and foremost, we've got to ask the community. There's got to be more community engagement about how they think those dollars should be spent. My perspective, my priorities are -- No. 1 -- recovery after COVID. We've got to come out of the gates swinging after COVID to grow our city, to grow our tax base, grow our skyline, to get back some of what we've lost this past year. When we grow, we also have to grow equitably. So having a comprehensive strategy for affordable housing, taking on the systemic racism in our justice system.”

As expected, Aftab Pureval and David Mann head off to the November general election after receiving the top two votes in the primary. The only real challenger was Cecil Thomas, but he fell short of causing an upset and taking out Mann.

 

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2021/05/04/pureval-mann-advance-to-general-election-in-mayor.html

I wonder what turnout would have looked like the last 3 cycles if there was a primary in 2009

Voter turnout on 9/11/2001 was better than 2013 and 2017 and almost equal to 2021?

36 minutes ago, GCrites80s said:

Voter turnout on 9/11/2001 was better than 2013 and 2017 and almost equal to 2021?

 

Yup, almost exactly.

 

Turnout for the general election has also been declining. It looks like there was a bump due to the switch to the "stronger" mayor system.

 

 

22 hours ago, Dev said:

 

Yup, almost exactly.

 

 

 

 

 

Yikes. We've only added 30 voters to the rolls in the last 20 years?

Every year, I say this, they need to move the city elections to even years to coincide with state and federal elections. 

1 hour ago, cincydave8 said:

Every year, I say this, they need to move the city elections to even years to coincide with state and federal elections. 

State law prevents this from happening but yes, it would really help engagement and turnout.

2 hours ago, cincydave8 said:

Every year, I say this, they need to move the city elections to even years to coincide with state and federal elections. 

There are benefits and negatives about this. 

Obviously the benefits are more turnout by voters and voter participation. 

However, the cons are that the Fed election would overshadow the local elections and crowd out much of the local candidates ability to get exposure and tout their message. Plus, many of the candidates in either party often act as surrogates and promoters for the Federal candidate who is running for office.  It would be a lot harder for someone like Aftab to be as active in promoting President Biden and knocking on doors for him, or SHerrod Brown, etc while trying to run his own race and manage his own messaging at the same time. It would also make it hard form someone in city politics to distinguish themselves from a national platform. Local races for mayor involve local issues and it would be completely irrelevant to ask someone like Aftab to take a position on where he stands on the Afghan pullout or Border crisis, yet, if you would move the local race to even years, you force local candidates to take positions on things that really have nothing to do with local issues. 

2 hours ago, Brutus_buckeye said:

There are benefits and negatives about this. 

Obviously the benefits are more turnout by voters and voter participation. 

However, the cons are that the Fed election would overshadow the local elections and crowd out much of the local candidates ability to get exposure and tout their message. Plus, many of the candidates in either party often act as surrogates and promoters for the Federal candidate who is running for office.  It would be a lot harder for someone like Aftab to be as active in promoting President Biden and knocking on doors for him, or SHerrod Brown, etc while trying to run his own race and manage his own messaging at the same time. It would also make it hard form someone in city politics to distinguish themselves from a national platform. Local races for mayor involve local issues and it would be completely irrelevant to ask someone like Aftab to take a position on where he stands on the Afghan pullout or Border crisis, yet, if you would move the local race to even years, you force local candidates to take positions on things that really have nothing to do with local issues. 

Another negative is that the City's ballot would be like 5 pages long. Participation in municipal elections would still go up but maybe not as much as we might think. Some voters will probably not actually reach the end of the ballot. These are the type of voters who probably don't participate in municipal elections as it is, but at least they'd have a higher chance of doing so.

On 5/6/2021 at 11:04 AM, brian korte said:

 

Yikes. We've only added 30 voters to the rolls in the last 20 years?

Hell ill take it the citys population was 331k in 2000 under 300k by 2010.Would make sense it is in that 330k range now.

I would be shocked if it's over 310k. It's possible, but I would be really surprised.

 

Cincinnati mayoral money race: Who’s ahead as campaign enters next phase?

 

Hamilton County Clerk of Courts Aftab Pureval has outraised his opponent in the Cincinnati mayor’s race, Councilman David Mann, by more than a 3-to-1 margin, according to campaign finance reports released last week.

 

Pureval, who finished first in the May 4 primary, has now raised $593,275 during the campaign, including $207,275 for the period running from April 14 through June 4. Pureval reported having $73,277 on hand but owes $58,362 in legal fees associated with his clerk of courts campaign.

 

Mann, who finished second, has now raised $172,330 during the campaign, including $42,271 for the period running from April 14 through June 4. Mann reported having $22,483 on hand.

 

“I’m competing reasonably well there,” Mann said, referring to the amount of cash both campaigns have on hand. “We’ve got a long way to go. It’s not even July.”

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2021/06/15/cincinnati-mayoral-race-whos-ahead-as-campaign-en.html

 

Top Cincinnati business leaders sign on to raise money for Mann

 

Some of the region’s top business leaders are hosting a fundraiser for Councilman David Mann in mid-September, making clear their preference in the November mayoral election between the longtime leader and Hamilton County Clerk of Courts Aftab Pureval.

 

Western & Southern Financial Group CEO John Barrett, Cincinnati Reds CEO Bob Castellini, American Financial Corp. co-CEOs Craig and Carl Lindner, UDF CEO Brad Lindner, Fifth Third Bank CEO Greg Carmichael and Towne Properties co-founder Neil Bortz are listed as hosts of the fundraiser.

 

Also on the list: Jerry Springer, the former mayor and talk show host, business executives Peg and Jack Wyant; former Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber CEO Ellen Van Der Horst and her husband, Ray; longtime GOP fundraisers Ginger and David Warner; former Mayor Charlie Luken and St. Louis Cardinals owner Bill DeWitt.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2021/08/27/top-cincinnati-business-leaders-sign-on-to-raise-m.html

 

If you needed a reason not to vote for David Mann, that's a pretty great list of reasons right there.

1 hour ago, Dev said:

If you needed a reason not to vote for David Mann, that's a pretty great list of reasons right there.

 

The election is shaping up like Cranley vs Simpson.  I wouldn't be surprised to see similar results. Though Aftab managed to not insult Bockfest (though Oktoberfest still looms) and his campaign hasn't called Mann anything like a "stale pale male" yet so he has that going for him.

22 minutes ago, Ram23 said:

 

The election is shaping up like Cranley vs Simpson.  I wouldn't be surprised to see similar results. Though Aftab managed to not insult Bockfest (though Oktoberfest still looms) and his campaign hasn't called Mann anything like a "stale pale male" yet so he has that going for him.

So it's a progressive vs a centrist democrat. That's basically every mayoral race is going to be for the near future.

Just driving through Avondale and Walnut Hills I’ve seen several Mann signs and none for Purval. I’ve also seen Kevin Flynn for council signs. I’m worried Cincy is going to have another backward looking mayor and council 

Former Pureval rival endorses him; Mann says it's about his dispute with unions

 

State Sen. Cecil Thomas, D-North Avondale, endorsed Hamilton County Clerk of Courts Aftab Pureval on Friday, a key endorsement from a senior Black political leader who sought the city’s top elected position himself in the May primary.

 

But Pureval's opponent, Councilman David Mann, said he believes Thomas' endorsement is more about organized labor's opposition to him than any belief in Pureval. Both are Democrats.

 

Thomas’ support could provide a boost for Pureval. Thomas has been a mainstay in Cincinnati politics since he was elected to the first of four City Council terms in 2005 and played a key role in reforming the Cincinnati Police Department. Pureval captured a large number of votes in predominantly African American neighborhoods, often finishing a close second to Thomas in areas where a Black candidate can dominate.

 

“We need 21st century thinking,” Thomas told reporters. “I believe strongly he is the person who can bring those fresh new ideas.”

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2021/09/17/pureval-rival-endorses-him.html

Pureval, Mann debate housing, mask mandates, police funding

 

Whether to build affordable housing in some of Cincinnati’s most-affluent neighborhoods, require mask wearing in the city if the number of Covid-19 cases continue to rise and how to fund the police were some of the questions faced by the two mayoral candidates Wednesday night in their first televised debate on WKRC-TV Channel 12.

 

I was one of three panelists, with the others being WKRC’s James Pilcher and WDBZ-AM talk show host Lincoln Ware, asking questions of Hamilton County Clerk of Courts Aftab Pureval and Councilman David Mann, the two Democrats vying to become mayor in the Nov. 2 election.

 

The biggest flashpoint in the debate came over police funding.

 

Mann accused Pureval of having a public safety plan that was “a way to actually talk about defunding the police” and added that “the last thing we need is fewer police officers.” Mann said it is the most important issue in the race.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2021/09/30/prueval-mann-debate.html

 

Quote

Yes, affordable housing, with proper zoning, proper design, with proper support, proper engagement from community groups, can be brought to just about every neighborhood in the city. That’s appropriate.

I might be reading too far into this but that's the exact kind of quote I would expect to hear from someone who will not actually prioritize building more housing. Your community council, full of homeowners, is against a project? Dead.

Your guide to the race for Cincinnati City Hall

 

Things are set to look a lot different at City Hall as Cincinnatians head to the ballot box.

 

In the build up to the city's Nov. 2 election, the Business Courier is breaking down the races you should be watching and giving you a firsthand look at the candidates who are set to shape the city in the years to come.

 

This election, though quiet, is critical. The city will welcome its first new mayor in eight years, with David Mann facing off against Aftab Pureval. And the 2021 Cincinnati City Council race will see the biggest turnover in members since 2011, a year when four incumbents were ejected from the nine-member council.

 

Here's what you need to know before voting...

 

...below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2021/10/12/your-guide-to-the-race-for-cincinnati-city-hall.html

Mayoral candidates tangle as Mann hardens stance against income tax hike

 

Councilman David Mann slammed the door shut on the idea of increasing the earnings tax during his term should he win the Nov. 2 mayor’s race against Hamilton County Clerk of Courts Aftab Pureval.

 

“I have committed to oppose any suggesting the earnings tax be increased,” Mann said during the final televised debate Thursday night, which aired on WVXU-FM and WCET-TV. “He (Pureval) has not been willing to make that pledge.”

 

In response to Mann, Pureval said Thursday night, “That’s simply not true. I think it’s a bad idea to raise the earnings tax in the middle of the pandemic. Families right now are struggling.”

 

The city gets the vast majority of its day-to-day revenue from the earnings tax. In a normal year, it accounts for more than $7 out of every $10 spent in the city’s general fund. City leaders fear that the budget will take a major hit while office-based employees continue to work from home instead of downtown and other city-based employment centers. As long as they do, they are entitled to refunds of any earnings taxes they pay the city while not working physically within it.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2021/10/22/mayoral-candidates-tangle-on-taxes-as-mann-hardens.html

 

Only 21% of precincts are reporting so far, but Aftab is leading with abut 68% of the vote while Mann has 32%. These percentages have been basically unchanged all night, starting with the early vote totals and holding strong as more precincts have reported. Mostly central and east side precincts have reported so far, and I would expect Mann to be more popular on the west side, but even so, it's hard to imagine Mann catching up.

David Mann has conceded. Aftab Pureval will be Cincinnati's next mayor.

15 minutes ago, taestell said:

David Mann has conceded. Aftab Pureval will be Cincinnati's next mayor.

 

So in your opinion will Aftab ultimately be a net positive for Cincinnati? Is this someone we should be optimistic about?

The most lopsided win in a Cincinnati Mayoral election.

Edited November 3, 20213 yr by Coseau

57 minutes ago, Troeros2 said:

So in your opinion will Aftab ultimately be a net positive for Cincinnati? Is this someone we should be optimistic about?

 

Personally I am optimistic for what the incoming mayor and city council could accomplish. The big question is what issues they will choose to tackle. Aftab will certainly be less of a bully than the person he is replacing, and that alone should automatically improve the way City Hall functions. It remains to be seen what disagreements may exist between City Council members and if they will oppose the mayor on any issues. I'm very interested to see how the council committees are drawn up and who is chosen to lead each of them.

Not following too closely, but it seems that Pureval has endorsements from both Mark Mallory (who actively campaigned for him) and David Pepper.

Mallory is a positive for the city and Pepper is a negative.   Not sure where to put Pureval, my gut is saying that if Mallory supported him and went the extra mile than he's going to generally be good for the city.   This whole mayoral race threw me for a loop though I'm glad that Mann lost.

 

Anyone is going to be better than the sh*tshow that was Cranley.  I hope he crashes and burns in his attempt to become OH gov.

Edited November 3, 20213 yr by neilworms

I was surprised to see Aftab win so handily. 

Cranley has a snowball's chance to win the nomination for OH governor. Being from Cincinnati alone isn't helping as the rest of the state basically ignores Cincy. He's also just not very likeable.

At first I am surprised with how tentative people are with getting excited about Aftab... and then there I am, tentatively excited about Aftab. Mann was unqualified for the position for two reasons in my mind, 1) shutting down a public meeting 2) Mann's Bend, the portion of the Central Parkway protected bike lane that goes up on to the sidewalk around the Mohawk area. Both instances show me what Mann is going to bend toward when things get tough: the status quo. Aftab brought a lot of 21st century efficiencies to a dusty Clerk's office and I hope he can do similar things at City Hall. I will remember going down to the BLM marches in July 2020, Black Coffee had a brick thrown through their window (yes, I am suspicious about a black owned business being targeted at the mostly peaceful demonstrations). While I was waiting in line to buy some coffee, I saw Aftab very earnestly chatting with Means Cameron, the owner.  Their conversation looked genuine and I appreciated an elected official getting out for the demonstrations.

I am much happier to have Aftab as mayor than PG Sittenfeld. Sittenfeld is a 21st century David Mann. Aftab isn't the most exciting candidate, but he has a lot of potential. Hopefully this city council is more cohesive, in line with the mayor's priorities, and actually gets some good urbanist policies implemented. 

A strong mayor system is actually supposed to help turnout

 

Edited November 5, 20213 yr by Dev
Fixed Y axis

Former Cincinnati mayoral candidate sentenced to 7 years in prison for Covid-19 relief fraud

 

Former Cincinnati mayoral hopeful Kelli Prather has been sentenced to serve years in prison after being convicted at trial of Covid-19 relief fraud.

 

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Kenneth Parker announced April 9 that Prather, 52, was sentenced to seven years in prison for fraudulently requesting more than $1.2 million in pandemic relief loans. She had been convicted on 14 counts following a July 2023 trial before U.S. District Judge Matthew McFarland.