A guide to the November election

Photo courtesy of ibtimes.com

Yvette Simpson. John Cranley. On Tuesday, Nov. 7, voters will decide who they want to be their mayor for the next four years.

Oftentimes, local elections are ignored due to the prevalence of national political elections. However, they are just as important, if not more so regarding a citizen’s everyday life.

To keep you informed, these are your two candidates for the office of mayor in the city of Cincinnati. Beneath each candidate will be information regarding the specific candidate, while below will be information that the two candidates have in common. All information has been taken from the websites of both candidates, as well as from an article in the Enquirer.

Political party: Democrat
Legal expertiese: Cranley is a bond and finance attorney; Simpson is an attorney with Ulmer & Berne LLP.
City Council experience: Cranley served from 2001 to 2009; Simpson was elected in 2011 and currently holds a position.

yvette_color — **Photo courtesy of Cincinnati Enquirer** | **Yvette Simpson, a two-term City Council member since 2011, challenged the incumbent Cranley and barely defeated him in the primary election.**

If elected, Simpson would be the first Black woman to become the Mayor of Cincinnati.
Believes the only way to better Cincinnati is by focusing on improving communities.
Beat Cranley in the primary election despite raising $1 million less.
Led an initiative in 2014 that focused on helping women who were victims of sex trafficking by concentrating on arresting pimps, not prostitutes.
Raised by her grandmother in a Lincoln Heights housing project and became the first person in her family to graduate from college.
Wants to bring those who are experiencing poverty to discussions on the issue.

cranley_color — **Photo courtesy of Cincinnati Enquirer | John Cranley was elected to the office of mayor in 2013 and is seeking re-election. Cranley served as a City Councilmember from 2001 to 2009.**

Was featured on MTV’s True Life in 2000 as the youngest person campaigning for U.S. Congress that year
Strongly opposed the streetcar initiative, but helped to spearhead efforts to increase bike infrastructure and improve the bus system
Helped to add more than 7,500 jobs to the city during his first term
Co-founded the Ohio Innocence Project at the University of Cincinnati College of Law
Endorsed by the Ohio Democratic Party, Cincinnati Police and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, among other groups
Started the “Hand Up Initiative” as a way to fight poverty through free job training

By: Kevin Thomas ~Campus News Editors~