The 11-member Summit County Council makes budget decisions that affect all aspects of the county and its residents. While there are more candidates on the ballot representing all of Summit County, District 5 is one of the six whose elected official will represent parts of Akron and appear on its residents' ballot.
Democrat Brandon Ford, 46, is a Copley resident who was appointed to represent District 5 on Summit County Council in February. Serving on County Council is his first foray into local government.
An attorney by trade, Ford was looking at different ways to become more involved in the community when the council seat opened, he said. With a lot of the job focused on reading contractual agreements and making infrastructure decisions, Ford said the work aligns with his skill set.
Two ways to find your council district:
Map of Summit County Council districts
Map by Summit County Council districts including ward precinct boundaries.
Ford grew up in West Akron, so serving on council enables him to give back to the community that gave so much to him, he said.
He is focused on ensuring budget resources are available to shore up infrastructure like roads, bridges and township ditches, he said. Ford also wants to improve safety and security in the county.
“Public safety can be in the form of working with our law-enforcement officials, like our sheriff’s department, but [it’s] also working in our communities with organizations like Victim Assistance to support those who have been touched by crime,” he said.
Health care is another top priority. Ford said he was proud to sponsor legislation that declared a Minority Health Awareness Month, which drew attention to the disparities in healthcare experienced by Black and brown people.
Ford’s early career is the root of that interest: He was a registered nurse working in pediatric intensive care before attending law school. That experience helped him learn the importance of patience and empathy, he said, which makes him a more effective council representative.
“I can take information that might seem complex, distill it down to what is most important, and then be able to relay that information to an audience,” he said.
Republican Blake running ‘to bring issues to the forefront’
Cynthia D. Blake, 64, is a Republican running against Ford to represent District 5. She works as a researcher for public policy analysts and previously worked in mortgage banking as a loan officer for over 25 years.
Blake is no stranger to politics. Since 2014, she has run for positions on County Council, Akron City Council and in the statehouse, but has not won an election. She’s spoken in opposition to gerrymandering in several public forums at both the county and state level.
“I have made this a journey of trying to continue to run, to bring issues to the forefront,” the Akron resident said.
She’s committed to ensuring healthy food is available to all, she said, and wants to tackle the problem of food deserts, in part by solidifying partnerships with farmers markets.
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“I’m running for this office to give the constituents here a choice,” she said. “And I’m running because I want to really be a part of meaningful legislation that would impact individuals’ lives.”
Blake said she wants to help make sure residents are aware of available county resources. That includes health resources, like those that can help prevent infant mortality in Black and brown communities where it’s an ongoing problem, she said, and mental health resources for seniors, who often have difficulty getting the assistance they need.
“I keep my finger on the pulse of the community, and I wouldn’t treat this as a secondary income … or a part-time job,” she said. “I would be a full-time representative for them.”
