Kahlil Seren recall, Cleveland Heights, Ohio (2025)

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Kahlil Seren recall
Officeholders
Kahlil Seren
Recall status
Recall approved
Recall election date
September 9, 2025
Signature requirement
About 2,900 signatures
See also
Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2025 Recalls in Ohio Ohio recall laws Mayoral recalls Recall reports

An election to recall Mayor Kahlil Seren was held on September 9, 2025, in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Seren was removed from his position as mayor as a result of the recall vote.

Seren was elected as the first mayor of Cleveland Heights in November 2021. Voters in the city approved Issue 26 in 2019, replacing the position of city manager with an elected mayor, effective January 1, 2022.

Seren was unable to submit enough signatures to qualify to run for re-election in November 2025.

Recall vote

Kahlil Seren recall, 2025

Kahlil Seren lost the Mayor of Cleveland Heights recall election on September 9, 2025.

			Recall  Vote	%	Votes
		✖	Yes	82.2	6,829
			No	17.8	1,478
			Total Votes		8,307

---

Source

Recall supporters

The recall effort was organized by Cleveland Heights residents Josie Moore, James Bates, and Michael Bennett. The Plain Dealer reported that petitions cited the following as grounds for recalling Seren:

“

Failure to submit timely financial audits to the State of Ohio dating back to 2023, risking compounding fees, state sanctions, and legal action High staff turnover, including three city administrators in as many years. The position currently remains vacant, in violation of the City Charter Submission of an incomplete 2025 budget, missing required information for council review. “The mayor’s confrontational handling of the situation fostered public alarm and distrust,” petitioners said Allegations of a hostile workplace, including an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EOCC) complaint, Human Resources complaints and possible retaliatory actions against employees, placing the city at risk of litigation.

”

Recall opponents

Seren submitted a statement to News 5 after the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections announced that enough signatures had been verified to move the recall forward.

“

While I respect the legal process that allows residents to seek a recall, I must express serious concern about the underlying motives and rhetoric now surrounding this effort. As one organizer stated: “We want a smooth transition when our next mayor takes office. To achieve this, our new mayor needs a 2026 budget created to set them up for success, not limits to their ability to put their vision into action.” Let’s be very clear: the suggestion that someone who has not yet been elected, who has not earned the public’s trust or mandate, should begin shaping the next administration’s vision through the 2026 budget process is not just premature; it’s undemocratic. No matter who the voters choose in November to be our next Mayor, I am committed to fulfilling my duty to bring the Mayor-elect in to facilitate a transition process that puts the City in the best possible position for progress and success in the new term, and in the long term. According to our City Charter, if I am removed, Council President Tony Cuda would assume the role of Acting Mayor until December 31. That is not a neutral caretaker position; it is an unelected, interim appointment that would suddenly gain outsized influence over the future of our city. This is an effective elimination of the separation of powers and checks and balances in our city government. If those behind this recall are now suggesting that vision-setting should begin before the people have even voted, then we must ask: whose vision is really being pushed here, and who benefits from cutting voters out of that process? This is not how democratic transitions work. This is not how trust is built. This is how political power is consolidated under the guise of civic concern. The Clerk of Council is expected to certify the validity of the petitions on July 7. At that time, I will take my responsibility seriously to carefully consider the full ramifications of resignation. In the meantime, I will continue to carry out my responsibilities faithfully and transparently through the end of my time as Mayor. The people of Cleveland Heights deserve leadership chosen by them, not installed by those with their own political ambitions. Ultimately, the people will decide which path to take. It is all of our responsibility, individually and collectively, to make a truly informed decision. To that end, we will try to ensure that a full and accurate record is available to advance the democratic process. Let the voters decide in November who should lead our city forward, not a small group engineering outcomes behind the scenes.

”

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing recall in Ohio

No specific grounds are required for recall in Ohio. To get the recall on the ballot, supporters must collect signatures from qualified electors equal to 15% of the votes cast at the most recent regular municipal election. Supporters of the recall have 90 days to circulate petitions from the day the first signature is collected.

Recall organizers submitted 4,424 signatures on June 25, 2025. The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections found that 3,845 signatures were valid. About 2,900 valid signatures were required to put the recall on the ballot.

Recall context

See also: Ballotpedia's Recall Report

Ballotpedia covers recall efforts across the country for all state and local elected offices. A recall effort is considered official if the petitioning party has filed an official form, such as a notice of intent to recall, with the relevant election agency.

The chart below shows how many officials were included in recall efforts from 2012 to 2024 as well as how many of them defeated recall elections to stay in office and how many were removed from office in recall elections.

See also

• Recall campaigns in Ohio
• Political recall efforts, 2025
• Mayoral recalls

External links

• Search Google News for this topic
• Government website of Cleveland Heights, Ohio

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