County Executive of Cuyahoga County, Ohio facts for kids
Quick facts for kids County Executive of Cuyahoga County, Ohio |
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Flag of Cuyahoga County
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 Chris Ronayne since January 1, 2023 |
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| Style | The Honorable |
| Term length | Four years. No term limits. |
| Constituting instrument | Charter of Cuyahoga County |
| Inaugural holder | Ed FitzGerald |
| Formation | January 1, 2011 |
| Salary | $175,000 |
The County Executive of Cuyahoga County is like the main boss or CEO of the county government. Cuyahoga County is the second largest county in Ohio and one of the biggest in the United States by population. The County Executive is chosen by the people in an election. Currently, Chris Ronayne is the County Executive. This important job involves choosing people to work for the county, working with other local cities and towns, suggesting new rules to the county council, and planning how the county spends its money.
How Cuyahoga County's Government Changed
Before 2011, Cuyahoga County was run by three county commissioners. But after some problems were found, the people of Cuyahoga County voted for a new way to run their government. This happened on November 3, 2009.
The new plan, called a charter, changed things a lot. Instead of three commissioners, the county now has one County Executive and an 11-member council. Many jobs that used to be elected, like the sheriff or treasurer, are now chosen by the County Executive. Summit County is the only other county in Ohio with a similar setup.
The first County Executive was Ed FitzGerald. He was the Mayor of Lakewood, Ohio before he won the first election in November 2010. He officially started his job on January 1, 2011.
Who Has Been County Executive?
Since the new government started, three people have served as Cuyahoga County Executive. They are elected for four-year terms.
After Ed FitzGerald decided to run for Governor of Ohio, Armond Budish was elected to take his place in 2014. Budish was reelected in 2018. He chose not to run for the job again in 2022.
In the November 2022 election, Chris Ronayne won and became the third person to hold this important office.
| # | Portrait | Name | Term in office | Party affiliation | Previous office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Ed FitzGerald (born 1968; age 56) |
January 9, 2011 – December 31, 2014 |
Democratic | Mayor of Lakewood, Ohio | |
| 2 | .jpg){kind=tracking} |
Armond Budish (born 1953; age 72) |
January 1, 2015 – December 31, 2022 |
Democratic | Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives | |
| 3 | |
Chris Ronayne (born 1968; age 57) |
January 1, 2023 – Incumbent |
Democratic | CEO of University Circle Inc. | |
