by Chuck Hoven

     (Plain Press December 2024) Data from the Cuyahoga County Board of Election’s website shows a smaller percentage of Cuyahoga County’s registered voters chose to vote in 2024 than in the previous two presidential elections in 2020 and 2016. Out of the 894,091 registered voters in Cuyahoga County, there were 587,282 ballots cast in the 2024 General Election which concluded on November 5, 2024. This amounts to a 65.685% voter turnout in Cuyahoga County. This is less than the 71% turnout in 2020 and the 69% turnout in 2016.

     Out of the 587,282 ballots cast, 578,368 chose to vote in the presidential race. Candidates Kamala D. Harris and Tim Walz received 376,384 votes, Donald J. Trump and JD Vance received 195,164 votes, and other candidates and write-ins received 6,820 votes.

     More voters chose to vote in the presidential race than any other contest on the ballot. The United States Senate race resulted in 569,482 ballots cast in Cuyahoga County. Democratic candidate Sherrod Brown received 384,042 votes. Republican candidate Bernie Moreno received 170,671. Libertarian candidate Don Kissick received 14,239 votes and there were 530 write-in votes.

     In the City Council Wards served by the Plain Press, turnout and the number of registered voters varied greatly.

     The presidential race offers some insight into the number of registered voters and turnout in different neighborhoods in Cleveland.

     In Ward 3 (represented by Councilman Kerry McCormack) there are 20,444 registered voters. Of those, 10,225 chose to cast ballots in the presidential election. The Harris/Walz ticket received 7,744 of those votes; the Trump/Vance ticket received 2,315 votes; and the remainder of the votes went to other candidates. Ward 3 serves Ohio City, most of the Downtown and Tremont neighborhoods and part of the Stockyard neighborhood.

     In Ward 11 (represented by Councilman Danny Kelly) there are 12,386 registered voters. Of those, 6,292 chose to cast a ballot in the presidential election. Harris/Walz received 4,235 votes; Trump/Vance received 1960 votes. The remainder of the votes went to other candidates. Ward 11 serves parts of the Edgewater, Cudell, West Boulevard, Jefferson and Bellaire-Puritas neighborhoods.

     In Ward 12 (represented by Councilwoman Rebecca Maurer) there are 14,022 registered voters. Of those, 6.409 chose to vote in the presidential election. 4,100 voted for the Harris/Walz ticket and 2,216 voted for the Trump/Vance ticket. The remainder voted for other presidential candidates. Ward 12 serves parts of Brooklyn Centre, Old Brooklyn, Tremont, and Slavic Village neighborhoods.

     In Ward 13 (represented by Councilman Kris Harsh) there are 14,860 registered voters. Of those, 6,409 chose to vote in the presidential election. The Harris/Walz ticket received 4,100 of those votes and the Trump/Vance ticket receive 2,216 of those votes. The remaining votes went to other candidates. Ward 13 serves the Old Brooklyn and part of the Stockyard neighborhood.

     In Ward 14 (represented by Councilwoman Jasmin Santana) there are 12,633 registered voters. Of those, 4,324 chose to vote in the presidential election. The Harris/Walz ticket received 2,775 votes; the Trump/Vance ticked received 1,487 votes. The remainder of the votes went to other candidates. Ward 14 serves the Clark-Fulton and portions of the Stockyard, Brooklyn Centre, West Boulevard, and Tremont neighborhoods.

     In Ward 15 (represented by Councilwoman Jenny Spencer) there are 15,881 registered voters. Of those, 8,394 chose to vote in the presidential election. 6,658 Ward 15 voters voted for the Harris/Walz ticket and 1,813 voted for the Trump/Walz ticket. The remainder voted for other candidates. Ward 15 serves the Detroit Shoreway, Cudell, Edgewater neighborhoods and part of the Ohio City and Stockyard neighborhoods.

     In Ward 16 (represented by Councilman Brian Kazy) has 12,522 registered voters. Of those, 7, 595 chose to vote in the presidential election. The Harris/Walz ticket received 4,695 votes; the Trump Vance ticket received 2,812 votes. The remainder of the votes went to other presidential candidates. Ward 16 serves the West Park and Bellaire Puritas neighborhoods.