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With three seats open, the race for Cincinnati City Council was bound to draw a crowd. There are 23 candidates on the ballot, all aiming to be among the top nine finishers elected to four-year terms. There are no party designations on the ballot, but all three of Cincinnati's political parties - the Democratic Party, the Republican Party and the Charter Committee - endorse slates of candidates.Click on a name below or at right to learn more about a candidate.Derek Bauman | Erica Black-Johnson | Cristina Burcica | Ozie Davis | Tamaya Dennard | Michelle Dillingham | Tonya Dumas | Manuel Foggie | Henry Frondorf | Brian Garry | Lesley Jones | Greg Landsman | Seth Maney | David Mann | Amy Murray | Jeff Pastor | Kelli Prather | Laure Quinlivan | Chris Seelbach | P.G. Sittenfeld | Christopher Smitherman | Tamie Sullivan | Wendell Young |Related:A Large Field Of Candidates Running For Four Seats On Cincinnati School Board

Christopher Smitherman (incumbent)

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Christopher Smitherman

Background: A professional financial planner. Former president of the Cincinnati NAACP. Holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in criminal justice from Ohio State University and a Master of Arts in counseling from Bowling Green State University. Elected as an independent. Endorsed by the Green Party.

On the issues: Smitherman said he supports John Cranley for re-election as mayor and likes chairing the Law and Safety Committee. But he said that if Cranley is re-elected, he will fill whatever role Cranley gives him, but would like to chair the Budget and Finance Committee. He said there is a great need for expanding the public transportation system, specifically buses. More routes are needed to take people to and from jobs. "People who live in the city and work at the Cheesecake Factory in Kenwood shouldn't have a 90-minute bus ride to work and a 90-minute ride back home."

You can find more on his campaign website here.

Howard Wilkinson is in his 50th year of covering politics on the local, state and national levels.