CLEVELAND, Ohio — Cleveland City Council Members expressed a shared interest in collaborating with the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections (BOE) to ensure clarity and accessibility for voters following recent polling location adjustments throughout the City.
Approximately 29% (over 70,000 individuals) will experience a change in their polling locations in the City of Cleveland, following the reduction in the number of wards from 17 to 15.
In January, the council approved the new ward boundaries despite concern from the community.
RELATED: CLE City Council approves new ward boundaries despite community's concerns
In several communities facing existing voter turnout challenges, 30-45% of voters must report to new polling locations, including those in new Wards 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, and 14.
While understanding the need for some modifications due to the new district boundaries, Council members believe that open communication and a shared commitment to voter accessibility are crucial. Specific examples have been identified where further clarification and potential adjustments could benefit the community.
Despite the new Ward 15 precincts closely mirroring those of the old Ward 17, polling locations were swapped, affecting over 7,000 voters, or 42% of the ward.
According to the city council, a disproportionate impact was observed in the former Ward 12. Over 2,000 of the 5,700 registered voters in Slavic Village experienced polling location changes, compared to fewer than 50 of the 5,200 Old Brooklyn voters.
"We already struggle to get people out to the polls," said Councilwoman Rebecca Maurer. "Now, imagine you go to the church like this one, where you voted for the last 10 years, and all of a sudden they say, 'No, no, I'm sorry. You go to the school up the street.' Do we really think people are going to make it to that second location to fully vote?"
Maurer said that's what worries the council. "And that's why we want to ensure people know to check their polling locations.
Elizabeth Holloman, who lives in Slavic Village, told News 5 that voting is important and that redistricting hinders voters ' access.
"Voting is very important to me. I was raised in a voting family," said Holloman. "My grandma worked at the Board of Elections for 30 years, and I walked door to door, hanging literature on doors since the age of 12...Voting is very important to me, and that's why it's important that everyone has access to their voting location and casts their vote."
"The sudden and widespread change in polling locations is alarming, especially when the rationale behind many of these changes has not been made clear to the public," said Councilmember Charles Slife. "Cleveland voters should not have to jump through hoops to participate in elections. By moving so many polling locations, the BOE risks disenfranchising voters."
Council President Blaine A. Griffin shared, “We all recognize the importance of voters knowing their polling locations. We are eager to partner with the Board of Elections to ensure clarity and support for all Cleveland residents during this transition.”
Council members are calling for the BOE to take immediate action to:
- Provide detailed explanations of the criteria used to determine polling location changes and ensure those changes are necessary to accommodate new ward boundaries.
- Implement clearer communication strategies to notify voters of polling location changes well before future elections, including through direct mail, social media, and local outreach efforts.
- Revisit and reconsider polling location changes where no compelling reason for the shift has been provided, and prioritize reducing barriers to voter participation.
Councilmember Rebecca Maurer added, "Voting is a fundamental right. This high volume of polling location changes means that too many voters will show up to future elections at their usual location and be turned away. The changes will make voting harder, pure and simple - something Cleveland cannot afford.”
The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections issued News 5, a timeline of events that led up to the issues raised by Cleveland Council members.
According to a release from the Cleveland City Council:
The data regarding these changes was compiled by comparing old and new voter file data with the old and new polling location lists. The data tables are provided below, and Councilmember Slife is available to answer questions on the methodology. Council requests that the BOE release a detailed list of impacted voters.
Cleveland City Council is committed to working with the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, local community groups, and voters to ensure that every Cleveland resident can vote without unnecessary obstacles.
The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections (CCBOE) is tasked with establishing precinct boundaries pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Section 3501.18.
The Cleveland City Charter mandates City Council to review its ward boundaries based on information obtained in the Decennial Census.
The information needed for the City Council to commence the process was available in August 2021. It was not until January 2025, approximately 40 months after receiving the needed data that the City Council passed legislation that reduced the number of City of Cleveland wards from 17 to 15.
Through this process the City Council assigned approximately 161,000 voters to a new ward jurisdiction with approximately 80,000 voters remaining in the same ward prior to the reduction.
On or about November 15, 2024, the CCBOE notified the Cleveland Clerk of Council of the impending need to receive the new ward boundary information to successfully execute the required 2025 elections in the City of Cleveland.
At that time, it was made known that if the Council wanted to review the modifications to precinct boundaries and comment the CCBOE would need approved legislation by December 17, 2024.
That did not happen, resulting in the CCBOE needing to complete its necessary work to implement new precinct boundaries, polling location assignments, and ballot creation on an expedited basis.
The CCBOE reassigned several staff from their current election duties to the City of Cleveland Precinct Boundary Implementation Project.
Even with the additional staffing resources the project pushed the creation of the May 6, 2025 Primary Election ballot one week past its deadline. The CCBOE has since been able to bring its election operation back on schedule.
The CCBOE has mailed a voter information guide to all voter households in the City of Cleveland containing current polling location information.
In mid-April 2025, a second mailing is being sent to Cleveland voters that will again denote the polling location associated with their voting residence.
As part of our voter outreach efforts, we re-ignited our Library Voter Education Campaign promoting the May 6, 2025 Primary Election and Cleveland Ward boundary assignments at 10 Cleveland Library Branches.
The voter education series gives City of Cleveland residents an opportunity to learn and ask questions about their new political boundaries.
The CCBOE has and will continue to utilize social media to remind voters to use the Board’s website, boe.cuyahogacounty.gov, to view their voting information, including their assigned polling location. Interactive maps reflecting the 15 Cleveland Wards with polling location assignments are also available on our website.
Voters can also access their polling location information 24/7 by utilizing the CCBOE’s automated phone system at 216-443-8683.
