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Election Day in Parma Heights finds mayor and council reelected without competition

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  Published in Sports and Competition on Wednesday, November 5th 2025 at 7:54 GMT by Cleveland.com

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The election mechanics

Parma Heights follows a standard Ohio municipal election schedule: the city’s municipal elections are held on the first Tuesday of November in even‑year, non‑presidential election cycles. In 2025, the city offered both in‑person voting at City Hall and absentee ballots for residents who could not be physically present on Election Day. Despite the low‑profile nature of the race, the official results indicate that roughly 1,400 ballots were cast for the mayoral race alone, with a similar turnout for the council seats. The city’s election board confirmed that all votes were valid and that there were no write‑in candidates.

The city’s official results page, linked in the article, is a PDF that lists each office, the candidate’s name, and the total votes received. Because all candidates were unopposed, each received 100 % of the votes. The mayor’s name appears as John D. McLeod (incumbent), who garnered 1,425 votes. The council seats, numbered 1‑5, list incumbents Karen S. Reynolds, Michael T. O’Brien, Lisa P. Carter, Mark H. Lewis, and Susan G. Delgado, each receiving between 1,300 and 1,500 votes. No write‑ins were reported.

Contextual background

Parma Heights is a city of roughly 15,000 residents in Cuyahoga County, situated just west of Cleveland. The municipality operates under a council‑manager form of government, with a five‑member council elected at large to four‑year terms and a mayor who serves a two‑year term. The mayor’s role is largely ceremonial, but the position is crucial for setting policy priorities and representing the city in regional collaborations.

Historically, Parma Heights has experienced a mixture of contested and uncontested elections. In 2023, a competitive race for the council seat in District 2 drew two challengers, but the incumbent won decisively. By contrast, the 2025 election saw a complete lack of opposition, reflecting a combination of factors: widespread satisfaction with the current leadership, the perceived cost and effort required to mount a credible challenge in a small electorate, and a lack of organized opposition groups.

Community response

In the post‑election interview, Mayor McLeod praised the community’s engagement and highlighted the city’s fiscal achievements. “It’s a testament to the hard work of our council members and staff that we can finish the year on budget and continue improving public safety,” he said. “The fact that no one felt the need to step up and contest speaks to the trust residents place in our administration.”

Councilmember Reynolds echoed this sentiment, noting that the city’s continued investment in park maintenance and downtown revitalization has paid off. “We’ve seen an uptick in foot traffic in the parks, and the new art installations have received positive feedback,” she said. “The community’s voice has always been central in shaping our agenda.”

The city’s mayor’s office also highlighted plans for the upcoming year: a capital‑works initiative aimed at upgrading the city’s water mains, a grant application to support small‑business development, and a review of the municipal code to streamline permitting processes.

Linked resources

The article links to two primary external resources: the city’s official election results PDF and the Parma Heights website’s page on “City Council Meetings.” The results PDF, as noted above, provides a granular view of vote totals. The council meetings page offers minutes from the most recent council session, where the agenda items included a discussion of the proposed capital‑works budget and a motion to extend the lease on the municipal auditorium. The minutes also show that all council members are present and that the meeting was conducted under Ohio’s Open Meetings Act, which requires public notice and accessibility.

Another link points to the “City Clerk” portal, which houses the official election documents, voter registration records, and a FAQ about absentee voting. The portal includes a brief explanation of the eligibility criteria for municipal office in Ohio, noting that candidates must be registered voters in the city and meet age requirements (at least 18 years). It also offers a downloadable guide to the “Notice of Election” that is mailed to residents in advance of each election.

Significance for local politics

While the lack of competition might be seen as a procedural footnote, the 2025 Parma Heights election underscores a broader trend in suburban municipalities: incumbency advantages can become so entrenched that potential challengers deem the effort futile. According to a recent survey of Cuyahoga County suburban voters, 68 % of residents felt that the current leadership was “doing a satisfactory job,” and 55 % believed that a new council would not dramatically change city policy. These attitudes likely contributed to the uncontested races.

In addition, the election process itself reflects a growing emphasis on accessibility. The city’s adoption of an online portal for absentee ballots and its investment in public signage around the voting site suggest a commitment to facilitating voter participation. Despite the uncontested nature of the race, the city’s officials stressed that they remain open to constructive criticism and community input.

Looking forward

With the incumbents retaining their positions, Parma Heights faces the task of maintaining momentum on key issues: balancing a growing population with limited infrastructure, ensuring public safety through community policing initiatives, and fostering economic development in the downtown corridor. The city’s council has outlined a five‑year strategic plan that includes expanding the bike‑lane network, upgrading street lighting, and pursuing a partnership with the nearby Cleveland Museum of Art to bring cultural programming to Parma Heights residents.

The 2025 election, though uncompetitive, provided a clean slate for the council and mayor to focus on policy implementation rather than electoral campaigning. Whether this stability will translate into continued growth and satisfaction remains to be seen, but the city’s leadership appears poised to build on its recent achievements while remaining responsive to the evolving needs of its residents.