Proposed districts for Independent living VOTING HISTORY: 2008

Commissioner's race: Jones vs. Sutherland 6 Mayfield

Although each proposed
Highland

Cuyahoga County Council

11 district has about the same Jones Sutherland
Hts
42% 58%
10
number of residents, District
Presidential race: Obama vs. McCain Mayfield Gates
6 covers the most ground. Mills
Obama McCain Hts
It carves a swath from the
wealthy easternmost suburbs 50% 48%
Many opponents of Cuyahoga 7
along I-271, before reach- INCOME
County’s reform plan whisper Pepper Hunting
3 6 ing north along I-77 into the Per capita income (adjusted to 2009 dollars)
that it excludes blacks, even 9 small, mostly-white, working-
Pike Valley
though few are willing to say that 2 8 $45,748
1 class communities that border
Chagrin
aloud, insisting their opposition Cleveland’s southern edge. Newburgh Falls Twp
has nothing to do with race. Politically, the district is a Hts Moreland
Chagrin
4 Hills
mixed bag, said Jim Trakas, Cuyahoga Falls
Yet under the current system, Hts
former chairman of Cuyahoga
only two blacks serve in nonjudi- County’s GOP and a supporter Brooklyn Hts Bentleyville
cial county offices and each ini- 5 there has not been an of the reform proposal.
tially secured their jobs through political Independents will likely

Inde
elected GOP office-

Va
decide who gets elected to a Solon

lle
appointment.

pen
holder in the coun-

yV
council, he said.

den

iew
How would black candidates fare under ty since Jim Petro
Trakas cautioned Republi- Oakwood

ce
the reform plan’s proposed 11-member coun- ran for commissioner in 1992. Would reform get cans not to have high hopes.
Walton Hills Glenwillow
ty district council? the party back in the game? Independents, he said, have
How about Republicans? Excluding judges, been trending Democratic. POPULATION
Here’s a look at the proposed districts: Broadview
The district, while about Hts 2000 2008-09 estimate % change
91 percent white, has elected 119,490 116,578 -2.4%
Can a Republican win a seat? VOTING HISTORY: 2008 a few black officials over the
years, particularly in Solon
RACE
Commissioner's race: Presidential race: Brecksville
Black Hispanic Total % minority
The best chance is Jones vs. Sutherland Obama vs. McCain and Oakwood.
in this mostly white, 4.3% 0.7% 9.3%
Jones Sutherland Obama McCain
Bay Village middle-class 40% 60% 51% 48%
Rocky quadrant known
1 River
mostly as West INCOME
Nod to the East Side VOTING HISTORY: 2008
Shore, politicos Per capita income (adjusted to 2009 dollars) Commissioner's race: Presidential race:
Westlake This is the other Cleveland- Jones vs. Sutherland Obama vs. McCain
Fairview said. Cleveland
Park $39,557 only district. It includes
Bay Village Mayor Jones Sutherland Obama McCain
racially mixed downtown 84% 16% 88% 11%
Sutherland said voters POPULATION
d and Slavic Village, while 7
ste here are about equally 2000 2008-09 estimate % change consolidating black INCOME
Olm
rth divided between Repub- 130,786 121,212 -7.3% political power on the
No Per capita income (adjusted to 2009 dollars)
licans and Democrats. She city’s northeast side
p said Independents often de- RACE $16,559
d Tw in neighborhoods such as
ste rt) cide elections, and they trend Black Hispanic Total % minority POPULATION
m
Ol (pa Hough and Glenville.
conservative here. 0.8% 1.3% 6.1%
Architects of the plan 2000 2008-09 estimate % change
“Eleven districts, five districts, I don’t believe District 7 is one of 125,727 111,152 -11.6%
care. Move it forward,” Sutherland said. “I partisan politics. I’m a proponent of reform because four districts — and possibly
am not a proponent of reform because of this region must have it, or we’re going to die.” a fifth — that will elect a black representative. But RACE
Cleveland Councilman Kevin Conwell — whose Ward Black Hispanic Total % minority
9 is part of the district — said there’s no guarantee. 55.6% 5.3% 64.8%
Working-class Irish Lakewood
VOTING HISTORY: 2008
Blacks make up more than 55 percent of District 7.
Commissioner's race: Presidential race:
stronghold Jones vs. Sutherland Obama vs. McCain Conwell said it takes between 60 percent to 65 percent “That’s the game, and that’s how they play it,” Con-
Historically, Cleveland’s West to guarantee a black candidate will win the seat. He said well said.
Jones Sutherland Obama McCain
so many people may run in District 7 that black voters Moreover, Conwell said much of the black commu-
Park neighborhood, Lakewood 2 59% 41% 66% 32%
will split the vote and allow someone else to win.
and, to a lesser extent, Brook nity was excluded from coming up with the plans.
INCOME
Park were the home base to Cleveland
the West Side Irish. Per capita income (adjusted to 2009 dollars)
White police officers, $28,587 Black flight Cleveland VOTING HISTORY: 2008
Commissioner's race: Presidential race:
firefighters and other District 8 starts Jones vs. Sutherland Obama vs. McCain
city employees who Brook Park POPULATION in the mostly black,
Jones Sutherland Obama McCain
were required to live in 2000 2008-09 estimate % change mostly Democrat- 86% 14% 88% 11%
ic neighborhoods of
8
Cleveland often settled in West Park. Friends and 125,129 113,533 -9.3%
Cleveland’s East Side and INCOME
families lived across the border in Lakewood.
RACE stretches into the inner-ring
Lakewood Mayor Ed FitzGerald, a Democrat who Garfield
Per capita income (adjusted to 2009 dollars)
opposes the reform plan, said the demographics of Black Hispanic Total % minority suburbs of Garfield Heights Hts Maple $18,000
the proposed district are changing. Census num- 3.9% 3.2% 11.3% and Maple Heights, where Hts
bers show the once overwhelmingly white area is many people from the same POPULATION
But FitzGerald and other observers say Irish
now more than 11 percent minority. Cleveland neighborhoods now live. 2000 2008-09 estimate % change
Democrats will likely control District 2.
Blacks make up more than 63 per- 138,004 120,769 -12.5%
cent of the district and hold most of the
RACE
Hearing the VOTING HISTORY: 2008 elected offices with the exception of those in Garfield
Black Hispanic Total % minority
Commissioner's race: Presidential race: Heights.
Hispanic voice Jones vs. Sutherland Obama vs. McCain Cleveland Councilman Zack Reed, who opposes 63.3% 1.3% 66.3%
Architects of the reform 3 Jones Sutherland Obama McCain the reform plan, said people who devised the district
Cleveland
plan said they tried to give 71% 29% 75% 23% clearly didn’t understand Cleveland neighborhoods Reed, who is running for the newly created City Coun-
voice to Cleveland’s grow- INCOME because they divided new City Council Wards 1 and 2 cil Ward 2 because his own ward was eliminated in a
ing Hispanic community into different county districts. Ward 1 is Lee/Harvard downsizing of Cleveland council.
by devoting one of two Per capita income (adjusted to 2009 dollars) (District 9); Ward 2 is Union/Miles (District 8). Reed said his complaints aren’t about race, but
Cleveland-only districts to $18,809 “It’s our political base, and it dilutes that,” said about geography.
Ohio City, Detroit-Shore-
POPULATION
way and the West Side neighborhoods where most
Hispanics live. 2000 2008-09 estimate % change Melting Cleveland
VOTING HISTORY: 2008
Shaker Hts Commissioner's race: Presidential race:
Rose Rodriguez-Bardwell, executive director of the 123,267 113,209 -8.2% pot Woodmere Jones vs. Sutherland Obama vs. McCain
Spanish American Committee — a 43-year-old non- RACE This is where Highland Jones Sutherland Obama McCain
profit agency serving area Hispanics — said she didn’t some from the Hills
Black Hispanic Total % minority 9 Orange 86% 14% 89% 10%
know enough about the proposed reform to support more affluent Warrensville
11.6% 19.2% 35.2% INCOME
or oppose it, but she welcomed a chance for Hispanics working class Hts
to have a voice in county government. come together with North Randall Per capita income (adjusted to 2009 dollars)
Greater Cleveland is home to about 100,000 Lati- Hispanics have jobs of importance in county govern- Bedford $30,467
poor Democrats. Hts
nos, making them the region’s second-largest minority ment, Rodriguez-Bardwell said. Although it is the
group, behind blacks. Cleveland mayors have tried to Bedford POPULATION
Proposed District 3 doesn’t guarantee there will be most predominantly
connect with the community for nearly two decades more. Census records show Hispanics made up 19.2 black proposed district 2000 2008-09 estimate % change
through a designated liaison, she said. Voters have percent of residents in 2000. Rodriguez-Bardwell said — 66.2 percent — it also in- 129,348 116,917 -9.6%
elected Hispanics to City Council, and Hispanics have she expects that number to swell. She has noticed cludes mostly white suburbs like Orange and Bedford RACE
held high-ranking jobs in city government. an influx of Hispanics from Florida, New Jersey and and long-integrated Shaker Heights.
Yet, Common Pleas Judge Jose Villanueva is the Black Hispanic Total % minority
nearby Lorain County. “We’re trying to sit at the table Both blacks and whites win elections here.
only Hispanic elected to a countywide office, and few and trying to mobilize,” she said. 66.2% 0.8% 70.1%
Warrensville Heights Mayor Clinton Hall opposes
the reform plan, but said the district alignment makes
some sense since most of the suburbs already have If it passes, he said, District 9 will elect a Democrat,
Pierogi power Linndale
VOTING HISTORY: 2008
some relationship with one another. but there’s no guarantee it will be a black Democrat.
Commissioner's race: Presidential race:
Two faces of county Jones vs. Sutherland Obama vs. McCain
reform — Cuyahoga
Co u n t y Pr o s e c u t o r Brooklyn Jones
50%
Sutherland
50%
Obama
56%
McCain
42%
The sandwich VOTING HISTORY: 2008
Cleveland Commissioner's race: Presidential race:
Bill Mason and Parma East Cleveland — often tagged as
INCOME Jones vs. Sutherland Obama vs. McCain
Heights Mayor Martin 4 the poorest city in the state — and 11
Cleveland’s Collinwood neigh- Bratenahl 10
Zanotti — call proposed Jones Sutherland Obama McCain
Per capita income (adjusted to 2009 dollars) 84% 16% 89% 11%
Seven Hills

District 4 home. Parma

Parma $27,516 borhoods are the meat of this
T his grouping of Hts sandwich. INCOME
suburbs makes sense, POPULATION East
The district population is al- Cleveland Per capita income (adjusted to 2009 dollars)
Mason said, because 2000 2008-09 estimate % change most 64 percent black, dominated by $24,542
there’s a common bond Cleveland
131,097 119,819 -8.6% East Cleveland and Cleveland in the Hts
connecting people who live there. “These are blue- middle, and wealthier suburb Brate- POPULATION
collar towns with lots of steel and auto workers who RACE
nahl on top and progressive enclave 2000 2008-09 estimate % change
share an ethnic, Eastern-bloc heritage,” he said. Black Hispanic Total % minority Cleveland Heights on the bottom. 127,962 114,591 -10.4%
Voters here have a history of voting Democratic. 0.9% 1.6% 5.5% East Cleveland Mayor Eric Brewer opposes the
RACE
Of all the proposed districts, District 4 has the reform plan and said it’s not good for anyone. Cleve-
fewest minorities — 5.5 percent. It’s unclear if a mi- but Barack Obama won them over in November, land Heights Mayor Edward J. Kelley isn’t sold on Black Hispanic Total % minority
nority has ever run for office in these communities, with 56 percent of the vote. the proposal, but he said they can probably make it 63.7% 0.9% 68.0%
work since several of the cities already share an Ohio
House district. the most diverse city in the county,” Kelley said.
Olmsted VOTING HISTORY: 2008 Kelley said voters in his city may determine “Our voters study each issue … and I believe they’ll
Twp Commissioner's race: Presidential race: whether the charter passes in November. “We’re make the difference.”
(part)
Berea
5 Jones vs. Sutherland Obama vs. McCain
Olmsted Middleburg Jones Sutherland Obama McCain
Falls Hts 41% 59% 49.4% 48.9% Evolution revolution VOTING HISTORY: 2008
Commissioner's race: Presidential race:
INCOME Anchored by Euclid, this cluster Euclid Jones vs. Sutherland Obama vs. McCain
of East Side suburbs could make
Per capita income (adjusted to 2009 dollars) 11 Jones Sutherland Obama McCain
North
up a fifth majority black district 67% 33% 72% 27%
Strongsville $34,258
Royalton soon, even though blacks make up
little of the current elected lead- INCOME
POPULATION Richmond
ership. Hts Per capita income (adjusted to 2009 dollars)
2000 2008-09 estimate % change
Euclid Mayor Bill Cervenik said $31,313
115,444 113,639 -1.6%
he expects next year’s census to South
RACE show that Euclid — the largest city Euclid POPULATION
Where worlds collide Black Hispanic Total % minority in the cluster, with about 50,000 Lyndhurst 2000 2008-09 estimate % change
Berea is only a short ride from North Royalton, but 1.8% 1.3% 6.5% residents — is divided equally be- University 128,808 116,273 -9.7%
the two West Side cities are worlds apart. District 5 tween blacks and whites. Hts
d

RACE
Beachwoo

is where the inner-ring suburbs meet the outer-rings. Royalton and Strongsville. It’s been a painful 30-year tran-
They have different issues and politics. And Berea, un- Which way would this district swing? It could go sition for Euclid. Some white resi- Black Hispanic Total % minority
like its neighbors to the south, has a sizable minority either way, several observers said. dents fled to Lake County and, more 21.5% 1.4% 25.7%
population, about 10 percent of its residents. Regardless, Berea Mayor Cyril Kleem said the sub- recently, the U.S. Justice Department
With the exception of one Independent, all who urbs in District 5 could make the grouping work. “It’s intervened in the election process to as- longer fear blacks moving to Euclid.
serve on the city council of Berea and Middleburg amazing how the countries in Europe get along with no sure that black residents had a better chance to win Political watchers said the district will likely elect
Heights are Democrats. But elected Republicans equal similar languages and histories among them,” Kleem elections. a Democrat. But whether it’s up for electing a black
or outnumber Democrats in Olmsted Falls, North said. “We need to look at what we have in common.” There’s still prejudice, Cervenik said, but whites no Democrat is unclear.