MANSFIELD — It appears there could be two new faces on Mansfield City Council in January, though one would be by the narrowest of margins.
Democratic challenger Crystal Davis Weese unseated Republican incumbent Rev. El Akuchie in the 3rd Ward by two votes, 487-485, according to final, unofficial totals from the Richland County Board of Elections.
But any provisional ballots still need to be validated and counted, as well as any eligible mailed absentee ballots that arrive by Saturday from a ward that had 21-percent voter turnout.
The board will meet Nov. 11 at 10 a.m. to examine the provisionals and eligible absentee ballots and will then meet Nov. 17 at 10 a.m. to certify the totals.
Once the bipartisan board certifies the totals, an automatic recount would be triggered if the final, official difference remains less than one-half of one percent (0.5 percent) of the total votes cast in the race.
If the victory holds, Davis Weese, 54, said she believes it will be due to the work she has done in the community before she sought elected office.
She is a workforce career technology education teacher and is the current chair of the Richland County Youth Substance Abuse Coalition.
“I think the beautiful thing is many of the people I work with in the city, they know the kind of work I do and they know I am active in the community,” Davis Weese said.
“I have been an advocate, a volunteer, all of those things,” she said.
Miranda wins in the 1st Ward
A clear win was earned Tuesday by Republican Michael Miranda in the 1st Ward against Democrat Amber Thompson, earning the right to the seat after incumbent Laura Burns declined to seek re-election.
The 61-year-old Miranda received 61 percent of the vote, according to final, unofficial totals from the Board of Elections.
He had 921 votes, compared to 583 for Thompson in the race between political newcomers in a ward where 25 percent of eligible voters case ballots.
“I believe the success of this campaign was the fact it was a very steady, very precise campaign,” he said. “We followed a good model … door knocking, direct mail pieces, signage.”
Miranda, who manages Van’s Tire Pros at 801 Lexington Ave. in Mansfield, said he considered his options when Burns announced she would not seek re-election.
“We have growth in the county for the first time in decades. The city is going in a very positive direction. I felt it was important that we (elect) someone who has good business sense, very conservative business sense.
‘We have to run the city like a business, living within our means,” Miranda said.
Diaz wins another term in 5th Ward
One face that will not be new in January is 5th Ward independent Councilman Aurelio Diaz, who gained re-election Tuesday with a win against Democratic newcomer Joetta McCruter-Polk.
Diaz earned 69 percent of the vote, besting the challenger, 133-60, according to final, unofficial totals in a ward where 14 percent of registered voters cast ballots.
Diaz was elected to the seat in 2021 as a Democrat, choosing to become an independent just months into his first term. On Tuesday night, he said running as an independent didn’t slow him down.
“I didn’t think it was difficult at all because I worked my butt off during my first term to work with everyone,” the 49-year-old said. “I kept my word about being transparent and available to people.”
Diaz works as a case manager at OhioRISE, a specialized Medicaid managed care program serving children and youth who have complex behavioral health and multisystem needs. OhioRISE is a part of Coleman Health Services.
“People thought I would regret (becoming an independent) when it comes time for election because you don’t have the stability of a (political) party, but none of that was true at all,” he said.
Diaz said party affiliations don’t matter during City Council meetings.
“I think we have proven in the past few years that’s not how it goes. We work together and represent our constituents. It’s not about what we want as a person … it’s what the residents want,” he said.