Two new faces to join Mansfield City Council as incumbents ousted

MANSFIELD — Two new faces will join Mansfield City Council when it convenes in January as a pair of incumbents were turned out of office on Tuesday.

The Rev. Eleazer Akuchie and Aurelio Diaz both claimed victories, joining incumbents Stephanie Zader and Laura Burns, both of whom won seats after being appointed to complete unexpired terms.

Akuchie, Zader and Burns are Republicans while Diaz is a Democrat. City Council members serve four-year terms and are paid $8,311 annually.

The 75-year-old Akuchie was the biggest surprise of the night, earning 51.4 percent of the vote to defeat Jon Van Harlingen, 66, the chair of the city’s finance and public utilities committees, in the race to represent the 3rd Ward.

In his first try for public office, Akuchie won the race, 424-400, according to final, unofficial vote totals from the Richland County Board of Elections.

Diaz, 45, defeated incumbent Jason Lawrence, 52, in the 5th Ward race, earning 62 percent of the vote. Diaz received 105 votes to 64 for Lawrence.

Citywide, just 13.7 percent of registered voters cast ballots, down 10 percent from four years ago.

The 33-year-old Zader was elected to one of City Council’s two At-large seats, brushing aside the challenge of Democrat Sammie Dunn Jr., earning 60 percent of the votes cast.

Zader, appointed to council in January, received 2,328 votes, compared to 1,546 for Dunn, a former 4th Ward council representative.

Burns, who was appointed in January 2020, earned 69 percent of the votes in the 1st Ward, besting 27-year-old Democratic newcomer Joshua Koehler, 793-347.

1st ward

“Being appointed means a small group of people have confidence in me,” said Burns, 40. “Being elected means I have proven myself as someone who can represent them and they have confidence in me.”

Burns said she was pleased with the tenor of the campaign.

“It was really nice. We had great conversations together. (Koehler) is really a nice guy and it was truly an honor to run with him,” she said.

Burns said public safety remains her top priority on City Council, where she will represent 8,405 residents.

“Number 1.5 is the city budget. I look forward to getting more experience with the city’s budget and understanding where our dollars go,” she said.

“Next will be asking (Ward 1) residents what their needs are. The dry dam issue is going to come back up again in the next few years.

3rd Ward

Akuchie, who came to the United States from Nigeria, is the former executive director of UMADAOP and a drug and alcohol counselor. He has served as a pastor at various churches and organizations and also worked in multiple positions at Richland County Juvenile Court.

“People who have heard of me know what I have done and that I always have the best interests of the city at heart,” Akuchie said after the final results were reported.

The minister said he entered the race after prayer and discussing it with other pastors.

“I don’t make decisions without consulting with the Holy Spirit,” Akuchie said. “Every one of the pastors I spoke with said, ‘Go for it.’ I didn’t have any inclination to say no.”

Van Harlingen, who earned 58 percent of the vote in 2013 and was unopposed in 2017, said he didn’t didn’t know what cost him a third term.

“I think (Akuchie) just went out there and did the job,” he said. “With my concerns about city finances, I am sure I have not pleased everyone. But I don’t think that’s the only reason I lost.”

Van Harlingen said he didn’t have any recommendations for the new council when it begins in January. His focus in the remaining two months in office will be to complete the city’s 2022 temporary budget.

“I have some very serious concerns with the (permanent) city budget,” he said. “But I am not going to have to worry about that now.”

5th Ward

Diaz, who ran a strong campaign for council president in 2019, said he was pleased to see his long campaign efforts pay off, even though just 10.4 percent of the ward’s registered cast ballots.

“Despite the low turnout, I think our message resonated with people who want to see a change in their ward and want to be a part of it,” Diaz said. “The most exciting thing about being a part of council is encouraging people to participate and become involved.”

Diaz, who grew up in the 5th Ward, said he still had learned a lot about the ward during the campaign.

“It’s been really educational. I had lost touch with some parts of the ward and how it has changed,” he said. “The people in the ward have made me see that.”

At-large

Zader, the only candidate who had to win a contested primary in May to reach November, said she felt a sense of relief when results were finalized Tuesday night, crediting hard work and her campaign team.

“I am excited to just keep making waves,” said Zader, a real estate investor and commercial real estate agent whose campaign included knocking on 10,000 doors this fall.

Zader said City Council’s top priority should remain focused on economic growth and development, including the airport industrial park area. She said the city also has a “big opportunity” to improve its parks system.

The low voter participation was a disappointment, she said.

“I feel like some people take (voting) for granted,” she said. “People in other countries risk their lives to vote. I am disappointed, but not surprised.”