Election 2019: Meghan George Wins In Lakewood, Independence Mayor Ousted

Updated 11:02 a.m. 11/6/19

In one of Cuyahoga County’s closest electoral contests of the night, Meghan George eked out a win over Sam O’Leary to become Lakewood’s next mayor.

George, a member of Lakewood City Council, ended the night 1.5 points ahead of O’Leary, the council president — outside the narrow one half of one percentage point margin that would have triggered a recount.

“I’m thrilled to move the city forward and work on building transparency and consensus within the community,” George told ideastream in a phone interview Tuesday night.

O’Leary led George in fundraising and had the endorsements of outgoing Mayor Mike Summers and the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party. George, the daughter of the city’s late Mayor Tom George, campaigned with the support of the Cuyahoga County Progressive Caucus.

Independence Mayor Anthony Togliatti was on the losing side of another close race. He came up less than 3 points short of former mayor Gregory Kurtz.

Frank Whitfield accomplished an upset victory in Elyria, defeating incumbent Mayor Holly Brinda with 47 percent of the vote in a thee-way race.

Many other incumbent mayors secured new terms handily.

Longtime South Euclid Mayor Georgine Welo defeated former State Sen. Shirley Smith by a 20-point margin.

With nearly 70 percent of the vote, Euclid Mayor Kirsten Holzheimer Gail fended off challenges from Richard T. Montgomery II and Chris Litwinowicz.

Maple Heights’ Annette Blackwell sailed to victory with more than 85 percent of the vote.

In Lorain, Democrat Jack W. Bradley defeated Republican Jessie M. Tower with 59 percent of the vote. Bradley won the seat vacated earlier this year by Mayor Chase Ritenauer, who left office for a job in Chicago.

Cleveland Housing Court Judge Ron O’Leary lost his seat by 11 points to W. Moná Scott. O’Leary, a Republican appointed in 2017 by Gov. John Kasich after the death of Judge Raymond Pianka, defeated Scott, a Democrat, two years ago.