While some cities in Cuyahoga County saw voter turnout as high as 80% during Tuesday’s presidential election, some wards in Cleveland hovered around 30%. Citywide, the county board of elections estimates about 46% of the Cleveland’s registered voters actually voted. Countywide, 64% of voters cast a ballot, a decrease from 71% in 2020 and 69% in 2016. The county’s dominant Democratic Party blames a myriad of factors for the downward trend. In Cleveland, they point to poverty. County party chair David Brock told reporter Courtney Astolfi: “If you’re making $20,000 a year, it’s hard to think either party is going to be the one that stands up for you.” — Laura |
Overnight Scores and Weather |
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Residents of Cleveland cast their ballots at the Frederick Douglas Neighborhood Resource and Recreation Center polling site on Election Day. (John Kuntz/cleveland.com) |
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Voter turnout: With a turnout rate significantly lower than both state and national averages, Cleveland’s voter participation lags, as residents grapple with challenges that make voting seem less relevant. From the struggles of high-poverty neighborhoods to evolving communication barriers, Cleveland’s declining turnout tells a story of disconnection, disenfranchisement and a political system that, for many, feels out of reach, reports Courtney Astolfi. Trump endorsement: As Ohio Republicans look ahead to the 2026 midterms, there’s now an additional power broker to consider: Vice President-elect JD Vance of Cincinnati, reports Jeremy Pelzer. Given Ohio Republicans’ near-perfect record of winning statewide races for more than a decade, whoever wins the GOP nominations for governor, secretary of state, and other statewide offices in 2026 will almost certainly be favored to win over their respective Democratic opponents. MAGA heir: Despite polling that shows more Americans view future VP JD Vance unfavorably than positively, Trump faithful told Sabrina Eaton they were impressed with Vance and regarded him as a likely heir. Political experts see Vance as the “Make America Great Again” torch bearer of the future, and Trump’s own family has touted him as a future president. Scams: More Cuyahoga County residents are getting scammed out of money than ever before, and the losses add up to millions, reports Kaitlin Durbin. Last year, when 774 scams were reported for a total loss of $1.2 million, the average damage per victim was about $11,228. Today, those losses have more than doubled. Today in Ohio: Four men were arrested in Columbus stemming from street takeovers in Cleveland in late September. We’re talking about the investigation on Today in Ohio, cleveland.com’s daily half-hour news podcast. |
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Transportation: Grants totaling more than $17.5 million will be used in 16 counties across Ohio to make improvements to public transportation services to help people get to work more easily, reports Robert Higgs. University Heights: University Heights Mayor Michael Dylan Brennan wrote and then deleted a Facebook post last week maligning two Republican city council members because they live in the only precinct in the city that President Donald Trump won in Tuesday’s election. Cory Shaffer reports Brennan later wrote on Facebook that he took the initial post down after it was “misinterpreted.” Mail-in ballots: Absentee ballots and in-person early votes are among the first to be counted on election night, with Election Day votes added throughout the night. Voters who cast absentee ballots can check the status of their ballot online through the board of elections. Ballots marked as accepted have been counted, reports Jake Zuckerman. |
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CMSD budget: A fiscal cliff previously expected to begin this year at the Cleveland Metropolitan School District has been delayed thanks to tax increases voters approved Tuesday, reports Laura Hancock. Schools CEO Warren Morgan showed a new five-year fiscal forecast revealing that a shortfall had been put off until next school year, when it will be $39.7 million. Tanisha's Law: Three members of Cleveland City Council are proposing “Tanisha’s Law,” which would send unarmed behavioral health clinicians to some emergency calls, instead of armed police officers. Courtney Astolfi reports the law, introduced to City Council on Monday, is named for Tanisha Anderson, a 37-year-old woman with mental illness who died in 2014 while in the custody of Cleveland police. Honor flight: Kaylee Remington paid tribute to her great grandfather through Honor Flight Cleveland. HFC is comprised of mainly veterans who, through donations, honor the U.S. veterans who served our country by giving them an all-expense paid trip to visit the monuments and memorials. West Side Market: Some West Side Market shoppers are upset about $30 parking tickets for skipping out on parking fees. Paris Wolfe reports that after examining the issue this week, the non-profit Cleveland Public Market Corp. has a plan to simplify parking procedures and minimize parking tickets. CMSD: Every ward in Cleveland voted to pass the Cleveland schools tax increase on Tuesday, reports Zachary Smith. But while some wards barely got a majority in favor, others heavily favored it. Holiday gifts: Cuyahoga County’s Department of Health and Human Services is calling on residents to help give the gift of holiday cheer by donating to struggling children, parents and seniors, reports Kaitlin Durbin. Their annual Holiday Giving Program seeks presents – or money to buy them – that the county can share with kids who are in foster care or families that are caring for a kid in custody and older adults who may not have families to share the season with. Our Best Life: The word nostalgia was coined as a negative term in the 1600s, combining the Greek nostoc (return home) and algos (pain). The feeling was initially considered a psychiatric disorder. Now, though, modern studies show that personal nostalgia is a good thing. Laura Johnston writes about the pop of happiness from a Baby-Sitters Club podcast. |
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Cedar Point: As the Ohio amusement park prepares for future development, it recently announced the removal of another ride. Professor Delbert’s Frontier Fling, an extra-charge attraction near the back of Cedar Point, is being dismantled and removed. A park official stated they will share more information about future plans down the road, reports Susan Glaser. |
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East CLE: East Cleveland Mayor Brandon King and former Councilman Ernest Smith pleaded not guilty Friday to public corruption charges, reports Sean McDonnell. King’s lawyer, Charles Tyler, and East Cleveland Law Director Willa Hemmons characterized the indictments of King and Smith as political and maintained the two men’s innocence in interviews after the court hearing. Coach guilty: Lou Cirino, the former football coach at Strongsville and West Geauga high schools, pleaded guilty Thursday to a sex charge involving a student. Cirino entered the plea to gross sexual imposition, which stems from an incident with a 17-year-old girl while he taught and coached at West Geauga. He faces as much as 18 months in prison and a fine of $5,000. McDonald's brawl: Several teenagers fought in a McDonald’s in South Euclid last month, turning the restaurant into a chaotic brawl in the middle of the day, video shows. After a terrifying melee in which several girls attacked others on the floor, as many as 40 youths bolted from the restaurant, reports WKYC. Teen arrested: A U.S. marshals task force arrested a 16-year-old boy last week who is accused of fatally shooting a Cleveland man. The teen is wanted by Cleveland police in the slaying of Tyrone Hipps Jr., 32, on Jan. 27, Olivia Mitchell reports. . |
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Dine Drink: In the latest episode of “DineDrinkCLE: The Podcast,” Alex Darus is joined by Paris Wolfe to chat about the Best Of Cleveland team’s hunt for the best bakery in Cleveland that offers holiday cookies. Readers nominated their favorite Northeast Ohio bakeries for festive baked goods, and Paris and Alex debate a bit about their strong holiday cookie opinions. Grammys: The 2025 Grammy nominations have been announced and there are many musicians and industry professionals with roots in Northeast Ohio dotting the lengthy list of nominees, including the Black Keys, Trent Reznor and a gaggle of talented folks in the classical categories associated with the Cleveland Institute of Music, reports Malcolm X Abram. House of the Week: The home in Sheffield Lake is located just minutes from Lake Erie, but it has a style and vibe that evoke the Sunshine State, reports Joey Morona. Built in 2021, the home was designed by the current owner, who teamed up with local architect Mark Ruby to bring her vision to life. The property is priced at $1,150,000 and offers six bedrooms and four full bathrooms. Disney in CLE: Zombies and the progeny of infamous villains will sing, dance and interact with fans at “Descendants/Zombies: Worlds Collide Tour,” coming to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on August 13, 2025, reports Malcolm X Abram. Rick Steves: Popular author, TV and radio host Rick Steves will share stories about scams and other travel adventures from the road at a talk in Cleveland later this week. “Why We Travel,” sponsored by Ideastream Public Media, will take place Wednesday at Playhouse Square’s KeyBank State Theatre, reports Susan Glaser. |
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Clevelanders scream their 2024 election frustrations at Edgewater Pier Read more Black veterans display their history of Cleveland through camera lens Read more Game Boy, ring watches, Spice Girls clothing on display at 1980s, 90s, Y2K Totally Rad festival Read more Summit County residents can now contact 911 via text. Here's how the system works Read more Identity of resident who shot 2 employees at a senior living facility in New London revealed Read more Akron preparing for grand reopening of Lock 3 Park Read more Candlelight vigil honors life of Bedford baby killed in house fire Read more $55M going for demolition, brownfield remediation projects including Midway Mall Read more |
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