Editor's note:

Keith Mills did not gather the minimum number of verifiable signatures required to appear on the Akron Board of Education’s upcoming ballot, falling about 75 short, election officials said.

Nine candidates submitted petitions for four open and nonpartisan Akron Board of Education seats in the Nov. 4 election. 

The board will look at least a little different come November, with one longtime board member, Bruce Alexander, deciding not to run for reelection after serving on the board for 16 years. 

The petitions must contain at least 300 valid signatures for the candidates to appear on the ballot. The signatures still must be verified by the Summit County Board of Elections. 

Board President Carla Jackson and members Diana Autry are seeking reelection, while Gregory Harrison, who was appointed to his seat in October of 2024, is running for election for the first time. 

Of the other six candidates, at least one, Gwendolyn Bryant, was considered for the seat vacated by former member Job Perry, who left with a year left on his term. Harrison was ultimately selected. 

Signal background

Another candidate, Cynthia Blake, often makes remarks during public comment periods at board meetings and has previously run for public office (Summit County Council in 2023). Harrison was also a frequent speaker during public comment periods prior to his appointment to the board. 

Phil Montgomery, the director of finance and budget for Summit County, ran unsuccessfully for a school board seat in 2023. Similarly, Bryant and Keith Mills both ran unsuccessful campaigns in 2023. 

Here’s the full list of Akron Board of Education candidates: 

  • Diana Autry*
  • Cynthia D. Blake
  • Gwendolyn Bryant
  • Gregory B. Harrison* 
  • Carla Jackson*
  • Nathan R. Jarosz 
  • Karmaya Kelly 
  • Keith Mills 
  • Phil Montgomery

* Current school board member.

In Ohio, school board candidates must meet the following eligibility requirements. A candidate must be:

• A U.S. citizen
• At least 18 years old
• A resident of Ohio for at least 30 days preceding the election
• A resident of the school district for at least 30 days preceding the election
• Registered to vote in the school district for at least 30 days preceding the election

Former Education Reporter
Andrew is a native son of Northeast Ohio who previously worked at the Akron Beacon Journal, News 5 Cleveland, and the Columbus Dispatch before leaving to work in national news with the Investigative Unit at Fox News. He is a graduate of Kent State University.