AKRON, Ohio — Akron City Councilwoman Tara Mosley has announced she will run for mayor.
Mosley, a Democrat representing Ward 5, formally announced her campaign on Wednesday during a launch event at the Trailhead at Cascade Lofts in North Akron.
Mosely joins a growing roster of mayoral candidates following Mayor Dan Horrigan’s announcement that he will not seek reelection.
City Councilman Shammas Malik, Ward 8, announced his intention to run for mayor, followed by Deputy Mayor for Intergovernmental Affairs Marco Sommerville and Summit County Councilman Jeff Wilhite, District 4.
Joshua Schaffer, who outlined his platform on his website, also will seek election to Akron mayor.
Highlighting some of her achievements over the past eight years in a video, Mosley pointed to her successful push to have City Council meetings live-streamed and her advocacy for dash cameras in police cruisers.
“I have been there, doing the hard work and the heavy lifting because I understand, because I live in that neighborhood,” Mosley said in the video. “I’ve grown up in that neighborhood and I know what it feels like to wonder whether you’re going to pay the rent or put food in your kids’ mouths.”
Mosley also sponsored legislation to makes landlords responsible if they rent units that violate the housing code and worked with officials on a pilot program to help secure jobs for local wage-earners with area businesses, she said.
One effort that garnered national attention was Mosley’s support of the CROWN Act, which stands for “Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair.”
Akron City Council unanimously approved the measure in 2020, effectively prohibiting employers from discriminating against people for how they wear their hair.
Mosley co-sponsored the legislation with the late Ward 1 Councilman Rich Swirsky.
“Akron needs new leadership — leadership with the record and vision to create a brighter, safer tomorrow for all in our city, and the commitment to bringing everyone to the table to do just that,” she said in a statement.
Elected to City Council in November 2013, Mosley is currently chair of the public service committee and vice chair of the parks and recreation and public safety committees.
She also serves on the public utilities and green, housing and neighborhood assistance, and planning and economic development committees.
Prior to being elected to City Council, Mosley served as a bailiff in Akron Municipal Court, according to Democracy for America.