BEREA, Ohio (WJW) — A Baldwin Wallace research group recently asked 419 registered voters in Cleveland about the mayoral election coming up in November and here’s what they found.
The combination phone and web panel survey, conducted Sept. 27-Oct. 8 by the Baldwin Wallace University Community Research Institute, found that nonprofit executive Justin Bibb is leading Cleveland City Council President Kevin Kelley, 34 percent to 25 percent.
However, 40 percent of respondents still don’t know who they are voting for even with the election about three weeks away.
What role do demographics play?
The results show Bibb leading Kelley among all respondent ages and races, ranging from a six-point lead among 35- to 54-year-olds to a 12-point lead among 18- to 34-year-olds.
Among those who expressed a preference, Black voters favor Bibb by 26 points (34%-18%), while Bibb holds a narrow three-point lead among white voters (35%-32%). Bibb’s lead is 10 points (34%-24%) among Hispanic/Asian-American/Native American/Middle Eastern/mixed-race voters.
What issues matter most to Clevelanders?
Safety and schools top the list of issues that weigh on the minds of Cleveland voters. The poll asked respondents to choose up to three concerns from a list of 15. Cleveland voters chose “safety in my neighborhood” first (45.7%), followed by “the quality of the Cleveland public schools” (39.8%).
The response time of police and how police treat residents were next at 23.8% and 20.9%, respectively. Accessing reliable internet connection was at the bottom of the list at 2.8%.
Do Clevelanders feel they’ve benefitted from the recent parks and roads projects?
“Metroparks management and improvements to Edgewater Park and Euclid Beach” top the list (33.3%), followed by “the street repair bond program” (28.8%).
“Redevelopment of the Ohio City, Detroit Shoreway and Tremont neighborhoods” (25.4%) was next. Bringing up the rear on this list were “renovation of Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse” (10.6%) and “Cleveland hosting the Republican National Convention in 2016” (10%).
Just over 39-thousand people in Cleveland determined the future of the city’s leadership in September’s mayoral primary sending Bibb and Kelley to the election on November 2.
Early voting began on October 5 and lasts through November 1.