2023 Akron mayoral election

The 2023 Akron mayoral election was held on November 7, 2023, to elect the mayor of Akron, Ohio. Party primaries were held on May 2. Incumbent Democratic mayor Dan Horrigan chose not to seek re-election to a third term in office.

2023 Akron mayoral election

← 2019 November 7, 2023 2027 →

Nominee Shammas Malik Party Democratic Popular vote 36,629 Percentage 95.72%

Mayor before election Dan Horrigan Democratic Elected Mayor Shammas Malik Democratic

In the Democratic primary, Ward 8 city councilor Shammas Malik won the nomination, prevailing in a field of seven candidates. Because the sole Republican candidate was disqualified, Malik was considered the presumptive next mayor of Akron.^[1] Malik was the only candidate on the ballot, as the only other person who qualified for the race was write-in candidate Nathaniel Green. He defeated Green with 95.72% of the vote.^[2]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Shammas Malik, city councilor^[3]

Eliminated in primary

• Mark Greer, former Akron Small Business Program Manager^[4]
• Keith Mills, teacher^[4]
• Tara Mosley, city councilor and candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Ohio in 2018^[5]
• Joshua Schaffer, cellphone store manager^[4]
• Marco Sommerville, deputy mayor for intergovernmental affairs^[6]
• Jeff Wilhite, Summit County councilor^[7]

Declined

• Dan Horrigan, incumbent mayor^[8] (endorsed Sommerville)^[9]

Fundraising

Some candidates have not filed campaign finance disclosures. Those who have are listed below:

Campaign finance reports as of January 31, 2023
Candidate	Contributions	Expenditures	Cash on hand
Shammas Malik[10]	$49,728	$56,472	$156,512
Keith Mills[11]	$100	$0	$15,000
Tara Mosley[12]	$9,501	$3,773	$10,506
Marco Sommerville[13]	$63,375	$6,709	$88,375
Jeff Wilhite[14]	$4,250	$4,590	$872

Endorsements

Shammas Malik (D)

State legislators

• Casey Weinstein, state representative from the 34th district (2019–present)^[15]

Editorial boards

• Akron Beacon Journal^[16]
• The Plain Dealer^[17]

Organizations

• Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund^[18]
• People's Action Ohio^[19]
• Sierra Club Ohio - Portage Trail Group^[18]
• University of Akron College Democrats^[20]

Tara Mosley (D)

Local officials

• Michael Williams, former at-large Akron city councilor (1997–2015)^[21]

Individuals

• Cornel West, philosopher and honorary chairman of Democratic Socialists of America^[22]

Organizations

• Black Elected Officials of Summit County - 20 TBA local officials^[23]
• Our Revolution^[24]

Marco Sommerville (D)

U.S. Representatives

• Shontel Brown, U.S. Representative from OH-11 (2021–present)^[25]
• Tom Sawyer, former U.S. Representative from OH-14 (1987–2003) and former Mayor of Akron (1984–1986)^[17]

Countywide officials

• Sherri Bevan Walsh, Summit County Prosecuting Attorney (2001–present)^[25]

Local officials

• Ginger Baylor, at-large Akron city councilor (2020–present)^[25]
• Jeff Fusco, former acting Mayor of Akron (2015) and at-large Akron City Council (1994–1997, 2010–present)^[25]
• David James, former Akron Public Schools Superintendent (2003–2021)^[25]
• Dan Horrigan, outgoing Mayor of Akron (2016–present)^[9]
• Phil Lombardo, Akron city councilor from ward 2 (2020–present)^[25]
• Brad McKitrick, Akron city councilor from ward 6 (2020–present)^[25]
• Don Plusquellic, former Mayor of Akron (1987–2015)^[17]
• Margo Sommerville, Akron city council president from ward 3 (2013–present) (his daughter)^[25]

Labor unions

• Teamsters Local 348^[25]
• Ohio AFL-CIO^[17]
• Tri-County Building & Construction Trades Council^[17]

Declined to endorse

Local officials

• Nancy Holland, Akron city councilor from ward 1 (2021–present)^[25]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size[a]	Margin of error	Greer	Malik	Mills	Mosley	Schaffer	Somerville	Wilhite	Other	Undecided
Center for Media & Opinion Research[26][b]	March 27 – April 2, 2023	400 (LV)	± 5.0%	3%	18%	3%	15%	5%	17%	6%	–	33%
Center for Media & Opinion Research[27][c]	January 17 – February 4, 2023	510 (A)	± 4.3%	–	8%	–	7%	3%	12%	4%	2%	66%

Results

2023 Akron mayoral Democratic primary^[28]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Shammas Malik	8,303	43.15
	Democratic	Marco Sommerville	4,944	25.70
	Democratic	Tara Mosley	3,361	17.47
	Democratic	Jeff Wilhite	1,549	8.05
	Democratic	Mark Greer	816	4.24
	Democratic	Keith Mills	143	0.74
	Democratic	Joshua Schaffer	124	0.64
Total votes			19,240	100.00

Republican primary

Disqualified

• Jim Isabella, former WNIR talk show host^[29][30]

Independents

Certified

• Nathaniel Green (write-in)^[31]

General election

Results

2023 Akron mayoral election^[32]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Shammas Malik	36,629	95.72
	Write-in		1,638	4.28
	write-in	Nathaniel Green	172	0.45
Invalid or blank votes			1,466	3.83
Total votes			38,267	100