Cincinnati City Council facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cincinnati City Council
City Council
Type
Type	City Council
Houses	Unicameral
Leadership
Vice Mayor	Jan Michele Kearney, Democratic Since January 4, 2022
President Pro Tempore	Victoria Parks, Democratic Since January 4, 2022
Structure
Seats	Nine
Political groups	Democratic (9)
Elections
Voting system	at-large
Last election	November 7, 2023
Next election	November 4, 2025
Meeting place
Cincinnati City Hall 801 Plum St, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
Website
http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/council/
Constitution
Charter

The Cincinnati City Council is the group of people who make laws for the city of Cincinnati, Ohio. It has nine members. These members are chosen by voters from the entire city, not just small areas. This is called an "at-large" election. Each voter picks nine candidates. The nine people who get the most votes win a spot on the council. They serve for two years.

For a long time, before 1925, the council had 32 members. Most of them were elected from specific neighborhoods called wards. But in 1925, a new plan was put in place. This plan created the nine-member council we see today. These members are elected from the whole city. The elections are "non-partisan," meaning candidates don't officially run as part of a political party.

From 1925 to 1955, a special voting system was used. It was designed to make sure smaller groups had a fair chance to get their members elected. For a while, the person who got the most votes in the council election automatically became the mayor. But since 2001, the mayor is chosen in a separate election.

Even though the elections are officially non-partisan, some local political groups support candidates. These include the Charter Party and the main political parties like the Democrats, Republicans, and Green Party. Sometimes, members from different parties work together on the council. For example, after the 1997 election, Democrats and Republicans formed a group to work together.

Before 2013, council members served for two years. In 2013, voters decided to change this to four-year terms. However, in 2018, voters changed it back to two-year terms. This change started with the 2021 election. The next election for the city council is planned for November 2025.

Who Are the Cincinnati City Council Members?

The Cincinnati City Council has nine members who work together to make decisions for the city. Here are the current members:

How Council Members Are Elected

Elections for the Cincinnati City Council happen every two years. Voters choose nine candidates from a list. The candidates who get the most votes win a seat on the council.

Here's a look at some recent election results: Italic type means the person was already on the council. (D) means Democratic Party candidate. (R) means Republican Party candidate. (G) means Green Party candidate. (C) means Charter Committee candidate. (I) means no party affiliation.