Former Parma Heights Mayor Martin Zanotti was one of the leaders of a committee that designed the new Cuyahoga County charter, and pushed it through to victory last November.
Zanotti, who served Parma Heights as a Democrat, made much of the bi-partisan make-up of that committee, and now he's staying true to bipartisanship with his endorsement of Republican Matt Dolan for County Executive.
Speaking to reporters outside the Board of Elections headquarters, Zanotti encouraged county voters to discount their party affiliation when casting their vote for Executive.
The time of partisan politics is over in Cuyahoga County. They have helped lead to the stain of corruption that has stained our region forever. It's time for us to choose our new leader - not based on his party, but based on his qualifications, his history and his hopes for our future. We cannot turn our government over to those who did everything in their power to block this reform.
That last statement was a reference to Lakewood Mayor Ed Fitzgerald, the Democrat in the race. He opposed the new charter but, once it was approved by voters, was the first to announce his candidacy for County Executive.
Democrats outnumber Republicans by nearly four to one in Cuyahoga County, which would seem to give a big edge to Fitzgerald. However, voters not registered with any party outnumber Democrats and Republicans combined, which could help Dolan if a) they turn out to vote, and b) he can swing them in his direction.
Also on the ballot are three candidates running as Independents - Ken Lanci, Tim McCormack and Don Scipione - and Green Party candidate David Ellison. Dolan and Fitzgerald are largely ignoring them, and waging contentious campaigns against each other.
Bill Rice, 90.3