Weiss elected Shaker Heights mayor

JANE KAUFMAN | STAFF REPORTER jkaufman@cjn.org | @jkaufmancjn

Shaker Heights interim Mayor David E. Weiss defeated Julianna Johnston

Senturia in the Shaker Heights mayor’s race, 8,126 to 5,191, according to final, unofficial results from the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections.

Weiss, 57, received 61.02 percent of the vote, while Senturia got 38.98 percent of the vote.

Weiss will serve the rest of former Mayor Earl Leiken’s unexpired term, meaning he will need to run again in 2019. Senturia, 49, served as vice mayor under Leiken in 2016 and 2017. She is a city council member whose second term expires in 2019.

Weiss addressed supporters at the South Park home of his campaign treasurer, Sheri Morford, at about 10:30 p.m. Nov. 6, when 62 percent of the vote had been counted and Weiss had 61.72 percent of the vote.

“As many of you know, I do have some workaholic tendencies,” said Weiss, standing in the kitchen of Morford’s home.

“So you won’t be surprised to hear me say that I look forward to getting back to city hall and focused on the key issues that we have really talked about throughout the campaign: expanding our economic development, working to secure our financial security, pursuing opportunities to retain and attract residents and promoting transparency and inclusiveness.”

Weiss thanked his campaign team, his supporters and his family.

He started his speech by referring to his father, who told him, “You should never read, you should decide what you want to say and then you should say it.’”

He said he would make an exception to that rule because of his lack of sleep over the final few days of the campaign.

“Thank you all for joining us tonight, especially to Sheri and Joe for opening up their home,” he said.

“I am of course incredibly humbled by the faith that this community has shown in me. It’s an honor and a privilege to serve you all. As I joke and as I speak to students who come to city hall, I work for you all in the truest sense. That is not lost on me and I appreciate it very much. Together we’ve accomplished a great deal over the last few months and despite the future challenges that we know we will inevitably face, I’m