For the first time in more than 15 years, Columbus voters elected a new mayor. Andrew Ginther defeated Franklin County Sheriff Zach Scott by nearly 20 percentage points. Akron voters elected their first new mayor in nearly three decades – Dan Horrigan. M.L. Schultze of member station WKSU in Kent reports.
The Democrat, Horrigan, won his race against Republican Eddie Sipplen and independent Bill Melver with better than seven out of every 10 votes cast. That makes his election margin even stronger than some of those that kept Don Plusquellic in office for 28 years.
While Horrigan was basking in his win at a celebration at Canal Park on election night, he also acknowledged the hard work begins now.
“We’ll have to work with the current administration just to kind of set up a transition plan because quite frankly it hasn’t been done before, not for a long time. So we’re going to gather some minds to be able to do that to find the easiest way to be able to do that.”
He says that will begin with a Blue Ribbon team of business, civic and other interests to recommend options. Horrigan officially leaves his job as Summit County clerk of courts and becomes mayor Jan. 1.
