Ryan Shank (Summit County Council District 7, Ohio, candidate 2024)
From Ballotpedia
Ryan Shank (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Summit County Council District 7 in Ohio. He was on the ballot in the general election on November 5, 2024.[source]
Shank completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
[1]Biography
Ryan Shank provided the following biographical information via Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey on April 18, 2024:
- Birth date: November 7, 1998
- Birth place: Canton, Ohio
- High school: Norton High School
- Bachelor's: University of Akron, 2021
- Gender: Male
- Religion: Lutheran
- Profession: Law Student
- Incumbent officeholder: No
- Campaign slogan: Elect a Public Servant, Not a Politician!
- Campaign Facebook
- Campaign Instagram
Elections
General election
General election for Summit County Council District 7
Ryan Shank and Bethany McKenney ran in the general election for Summit County Council District 7 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | ||
 | Ryan Shank (D)  | |
| Bethany McKenney (R) | ||
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| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Summit County Council District 7
Ryan Shank ran in the Democratic primary for Summit County Council District 7 on March 19, 2024.
Candidate | ||
| Ryan Shank (Write-in) | |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Summit County Council District 7
Bethany McKenney ran in the Republican primary for Summit County Council District 7 on March 19, 2024.
Candidate | ||
| Bethany McKenney | ||
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Election results
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Shank in this election.
Campaign themes
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Ryan Shank completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Shank's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I was born in Canton in 1998. As a kid, I would move to Barberton, Ohio, where I have been a proud resident of the city for nearly twenty years now. I attended Norton High School and would graduate from there in 2017. Afterwards, I attended the University of Akron, where I excelled as a member/Captain of our collegiate Speech and Debate team, and graduated with my Bachelor's Degree in Political Science in 2021. Since then, I have been an aspiring law student and active member of my community. I am proud to be the Membership Director of the Summit County Young Democrats since 2022 and have had the privilege of working with an amazing group of people to advocate for our communities on a county level. I am a diehard Cleveland Browns and Guardians fan, and I am not afraid to admit it, or show it. Finally, I am the son of a single mother, brother to two amazing sisters, grandson of proud blue-collar grandparents, and boyfriend to the love of my life, with hopes of doing my best to advocate for families and communities like mine in the future.
- Rebuilding our Economy. Summit County is the fourth largest county by population in Ohio, yet has fallen behind in economic investment. We need leaders who are going to fight fearlessly and with dedication, regardless of politics, to secure our economic future.
- Fighting the Food Insecurity Crisis. 68,000 residents of Summit County are food insecure. To combat this, we need to coordinate with local organizations and step up to tackle the issues regarding this crisis.
- Fighting for Equality. It's sad that in 2024 we are still debating whether groups of people deserve to be treated equally. As Councilman, I will work endlessly to pursue equality for all in Summit County.
I have always been passionate about social issues and ensuring a healthy economy for our residents.
This body is unique in that it is one of the leading authorities in the county. This office and the body of the County Council hold a lot more influence over county affairs than some realize.
I look up to my mother. She raised me and my two sisters as a single parent, worked tirelessly to provide for us, and was always there for us. She is the perfect example of the kind, caring, strong, and supportive parent.
If there would be any recommendations, I would say the Autobiography of Theodore Roosevelt, and, "To Seek a Newer World" by Robert F. Kennedy, would be great examples.
Accountability, Honesty, and a strong work ethic. Too often, we see leaders dodge accountability, lie right to our faces, or work with no sense of urgency. This needs to change. Our political leaders must be open to being held accountable, be honest regardless of the situation, and work as hard as the people they represent.
I believe I have the passion, work ethic, dedication, and eagerness to be a successful officeholder. I am always willing to learn, happy to listen, hear all sides, and work with everyone to reach common ground.
The core responsibilities for the this office is to listen to our constituents, know when to learn from others, and work to pass legislation that benefits everyone, not just a select few.
I simply want to be seen as someone who did their best in the position and worked to improve the lives of their constituents.
The first historical event I genuinely recall is the election of President Barack Obama in 2008. I was ten years old at the time.
My first job was at Acme Fresh Market as a bagger. I enjoyed it for the most part, but was only there for six months due to scheduling conflicts.
I have never given much thought to my favorite book, but if I had to choose, it would most likely be The Tale of Despereaux. It was my favorite book as a kid.
Down Under by Men at Work
I have always struggled with finishing books after I start them.
I believe it can be beneficial, but not required. Experience can matter, but experience, like many things, can be wasted. What is more important, in my opinion, is the dedication, willingness, passion, and attitude of the holder of the office. If they lack in any of these areas, they are not going to be a good office holder.
I believe that having a knowledge on government operations and the ability to listen, learn, and have civil discussion are some of the most helpful things an office holder for this position could possess.
A sheep, drum, and snake fall off a cliff. Baa dum tss
My views on this are simple: we need more transparency and accountability in government. Taxpayers deserve to know what happens financially in these institutions, and government officials need to be held accountable for their actions. No one is above the law.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
Footnotes
