This article is part of the Voters Guide produced in partnership with the League of Women Voters of the Akron Area.

Description of Race/Referendum:

The County Council is the eleven-member legislative authority, taxing authority and policy-making body of the Summit County government.

Rita Darrow is the Democratic candidate for the Summit County Council seat in District #1.

Jeff Wilhite

Democrat

Email: jwilhite2055@gmail.com

Training/Experience: I have over 40 years of direct community engagement from the private and public sectors affording me the experience to make a difference.

Campaign phone: 330-807-8291

Education: BA Business Administration

Previous public office: Summit County Council

Why are you the best candidate for the office?

I am the best candidate because of my experience in the important area of housing,  It is our number one issue covering all areas of the community.  Affordable, attainable, warm, safe, and dry housing for all is a quality-of-life issue, a health safety and welfare issue, and an economic development issue.  

🗳️For more on this year’s November election, visit our Election Signals 2024 page.

What are the top priorities you seek to address once in office?

Affordable/attainable housing and senior services.  With the aging population, Summit County is one of only a few left in Ohio that does not have a senior services funding source.  Allowing seniors to age in place is the best opportunity for them to remain healthy mentally and physically.

What strategies will you use to accomplish those priorities?

Bring together a combination of lenders, community reinvestment act (CRA) dollars, social service agencies and the private sector to make sure we address housing opportunities for all levels of income.

Editor’s note: This candidate is running unopposed.

Editor-in-Chief (she/her)
Zake has deep roots in Northeast Ohio journalism. She was the managing editor for multimedia and special projects at the Akron Beacon Journal, where she began work as a staff photographer in 1986. Over a 20-year career, Zake worked in a variety of roles across departments that all help inform her current role as Signal Akron's editor in chief. Most recently, she was a journalism professor and student media adviser at Kent State University, where she worked with the next generation of journalists to understand public policy, environmental reporting, data and solutions reporting. Among her accomplishments was the launch of the Kent State NewsLab, an experiential and collaborative news commons that connects student reporters with outside professional partners.