Shirley Smith
Shirley Smith (Democratic Party) is running for election to the Cuyahoga County Council to represent District 11 in Ohio. She is on the ballot in the Democratic primary on May 5, 2026.[source]
Smith (Democratic Party) was a member of the Ohio State Senate, representing District 21. She assumed office in 2007. She left office on November 30, 2014.
Biography
Smith earned her A.A. from Cuyahoga Community College in 1982 and her B.A. from Cleveland State University in 1986. Smith attended the Kennedy School of Government Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at Harvard University. Her professional experience includes being the manager of Cleveland Coca-Cola Bottling Company since 1997.[1]
Committee assignments
2013-2014
At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Smith served on the following committees:
| Ohio committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Agriculture |
| • Criminal Justice |
| • Finance |
| • Public Utilities |
| • State Government, Oversight, and Reform |
2011-2012
| Ohio committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| • Education |
| • Energy and Public Utilities |
| • Finance |
| • Government Oversight |
| • Health, Human Services and Aging |
| • Rules and Reference |
2009-2010
| Ohio committee assignments, 2009 |
|---|
| • Finance |
| • Government Oversight |
| • Health, Human Services and Aging |
| • Judiciary - Criminal Justice |
| • Reference |
| • Rules |
Elections
2026
See also: Municipal elections in Cuyahoga County, Ohio (2026)
General election
The primary will occur on May 5, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.
Democratic primary
Democratic primary for Cuyahoga County Council District 11
Christine McIntosh (D), Shirley Smith (D), and Ebony Spano (D) are running in the Democratic primary for Cuyahoga County Council District 11 on May 5, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Christine McIntosh | |
| Shirley Smith | ||
| Ebony Spano | ||
| ||||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary
Republican primary for Cuyahoga County Council District 11
William McLaughlin (R) is running in the Republican primary for Cuyahoga County Council District 11 on May 5, 2026.
Candidate | ||
| William McLaughlin | ||
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Endorsements
Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.
2021
See also: Ohio's 11th Congressional District special election, 2021
General election
Special general election for U.S. House Ohio District 11
Shontel Brown defeated Laverne Gore in the special general election for U.S. House Ohio District 11 on November 2, 2021.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Shontel Brown (D) | 78.9 | 82,913 |
 | Laverne Gore (R) | 21.1 | 22,198 | |
| Total votes: 105,111 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Special Democratic primary for U.S. House Ohio District 11
The following candidates ran in the special Democratic primary for U.S. House Ohio District 11 on August 3, 2021.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Shontel Brown | 50.1 | 38,505 |
 | Nina Turner | 44.6 | 34,239 | |
 | Jeffrey Johnson | 1.8 | 1,388 | |
 | John E. Barnes Jr. | 1.0 | 801 | |
| Shirley Smith | 0.8 | 599 | ||
 | Seth Corey | 0.6 | 493 | |
| Pamela Pinkney | 0.2 | 184 | ||
| Will Knight | 0.2 | 182 | ||
 | Tariq Shabazz | 0.2 | 134 | |
| Martin Alexander | 0.1 | 105 | ||
 | James Jerome Bell | 0.1 | 101 | |
| Lateek Shabazz | 0.1 | 61 | ||
| Isaac Powell | 0.1 | 52 | ||
| Total votes: 76,844 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Bryan Flannery (D)
- Daniel Corrigan (D)
Republican primary election
Special Republican primary for U.S. House Ohio District 11
Laverne Gore defeated Felicia Ross in the special Republican primary for U.S. House Ohio District 11 on August 3, 2021.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Laverne Gore | 74.0 | 4,009 |
| Felicia Ross | 26.0 | 1,405 | ||
| Total votes: 5,414 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
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2010
- See also: Ohio State Senate elections, 2010
Smith won re-election to the Ohio State Senate against Burrell Jackson (R).[2] Neither candidate was opposed in the primary election on May 4, 2010.[3][4][5] The election took place on November 2, 2010.
| Ohio State Senate, District 21 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
 Shirley Smith (D)
|
55,836 | 84.40% | ||
| Burrell Jackson (R) | 10,321 | 15.60% | ||
2006
- See also: Ohio State Senate elections, 2006
On November 7, 2006, Smith was elected to Ohio State Senate District 21.[6][7][8]
Smith raised $65,810 for her campaign.[9]
| Ohio State Senate District 21 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
| Shirley Smith (D)
|
61,513 | |||
| Richard L. Norris (R) | 10,563 | |||
Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Shirley Smith has not yet completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey. Send a message to Shirley Smith asking her to fill out the survey. If you are Shirley Smith, click here to fill out Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.
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You can ask Shirley Smith to fill out this survey by using the button below or emailing sasmith1919@yahoo.com.
Campaign website
Smith's campaign website stated the following:
My Reasons For Running
Property Taxes
To partner with the state of Ohio to create a fair and effective property tax policy that benefits all residents.
Improve County Jails
To utilize my experience and knowledge from the Parole Board and the Chair of the Prison Correctional Inspection Committee to improve conditions, in our jail... focusing on dignity rehabilitation and community.
Metastatic Breast Cancer
To develop and implement comprehensive policies to address the challenges of metastatic breast cancer, supporting patients and families across Cuyahoga County.
Provide Hope & Safety for Girls
Expand my initiative to provide safe housing and support for homeless, abused, trafficked, and underserved girls, giving them hope and opportunities.
Artificial Intelligence
Promote innovative solutions for artificial intelligence to prepare our workforce for the jobs of tomorrow and drive Cuyahoga County's economic growth.
Our Special Needs Children
Champion strong preventive protection for autistic and the mentally challenged population, ensuring their safety and shielding them from violence.
— Shirley Smith's campaign website (March 27, 2026)
2021
Shirley Smith did not complete Ballotpedia's 2021 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Ohio General Assembly in 2014.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Ohio General Assembly in 2013.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Ohio General Assembly in 2012.
- Ohio Federation of Teachers — Legislators are scored based on how they voted on issues of priority to members of the Ohio Federation of Teachers.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Below you can find the scorecards found for the Ohio General Assembly in 2011.
- Ohio Federation of Teachers — Legislators are scored based on how they voted on issues of priority to members of the Ohio Federation of Teachers.
- The American Conservative Union — Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Smith has two children and currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio.
See also
2026 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Project Vote Smart, "Biography of Sen. Shirley Smith," accessed June 10, 2014
- ↑ Ohio Secretary of State, "Ohio Senate: Results for November 2, 2010," accessed June 10, 2014
- ↑ Ohio Secretary of State, "State Senate - Results for Democratic Primary: May 4, 2010," accessed June 10, 2014
- ↑ Ohio Secretary of State, "State Senate - Results for Republican Primary: May 4, 2010," accessed June 10, 2014
- ↑ Ohio Secretary of State, "State Senate - Results for Libertarian Primary: May 4, 2010," accessed June 10, 2014
- ↑ Ohio Secretary of State, "State Senate - Results for Democratic Primary: May 2, 2006," accessed June 10, 2014
- ↑ Ohio Secretary of State, "State Senate - Results for Republican Primary: May 2, 2006," accessed June 10, 2014
- ↑ Ohio Secretary of State, "Ohio Senate: Results for November 7, 2006," accessed June 10, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Report on 2006 campaign contributions," accessed June 10, 2014
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by ' |
Ohio State Senate District 21 2007–November 30, 2014 |
Succeeded by Sandra Williams (D) |
 |
State of Ohio Columbus (capital) |
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