Cincinnati, Ohio

:The article refers to the city in Ohio. For information on the city in Iowa, see Cincinnati, Iowa.

Politics

Currently, although the City of Cincinnati generally votes Democrat like other Midwestern cities, Hamilton County and the rest of the metropolitan area generally votes Republican.

Related Topics:
Democrat - Republican

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The city is governed by a nine-member city council, whose members are elected at large. Prior to 1924, city council was elected through a system of wards. The ward system lent itself to corruption and Cincinnati was run by the Republican political machine of Boss Cox from the 1880's through the 1920's with a few brief interludes. A reform movement arose in 1923, led by another Republican, Murray Seasongood. Seasongood eventually founded the Charter Committee, which used ballot initiatives in 1924 to eliminate the ward system and replace it with the current at-large system and also to introduce a city manager. From 1924 to 1957, the council was selected by proportional representation. As of 1957, all candidates run in a single race and the top nine vote-getters are elected (the "9-X system"). The mayor was selected by the council. Starting in 1987, the top vote-getter in the city council race automatically became mayor. Starting in 1999, the mayor was chosen in a separate election and the city manager accepted a lesser role in government; these reforms were referred to as the "strong mayor" reforms. Cincinnati politics includes the participation of the Charter Party, the third-party with the longest history of winning in local elections.

Related Topics:
Wards - Political machine - Murray Seasongood - City manager - Proportional representation - Mayor - Charter Party

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Race Relations

Race relations are an evolving challenge in Cincinnati.

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Cincinnati was an important port for the Underground Railroad in pre-Civil War times. It is located right on the border of the slave state Kentucky and is often mentioned as a destination for many people escaping the bonds of slavery.

Related Topics:
Underground Railroad - Kentucky

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After the death of Martin Luther King Jr a deadly riot broke out in Cincinnati leaving two dead.

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After the shooting of an unarmed 19-year old Black male (Timothy Thomas) by Officer Steven Roach during an on-foot pursuit while a trial accusing the city's police department of Racial Profiling was taking place sparked the 2001 Cincinnati Riots. These riots cost the city its bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Related Topics:
Timothy Thomas - 2001 Cincinnati Riots - 2012 Summer Olympics

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