(NewsNation) — Cleveland voters head to the polls Tuesday to choose who will take the reins as the next mayor of the city.
Three candidates are battling for the position: incumbent Democratic Mayor Justin Bibb, Republican Laverne Gore and write-in candidate Democrat Ricky Pittman. The city did not have a primary as only Bibb and Gore collected enough verified signatures to be on the ballot.
Bibb, who is looking to secure his position for another four years, has raised about 96 times more money than Gore, according to a report by Cleveland.com, with a total of around $1.1 million. Meanwhile, Gore was only able to raise $1,500, plus a $10,000 personal loan, the outlet reported.
Bibb won by a landslide in the 2021 election and has been running on tackling violent crime and economic revitalization. The race has been an uphill battle for Gore, who has entered several local elections but has never won. She’s largely run on education reform and safety.
“We just came off of a general election where the country decided which direction they wanted to see things go in. … Maybe the people of Cleveland would like to try something different,” Gore told Signal Cleveland in December.
She says she met with President Donald Trump “to discuss her beliefs, and they’ve discussed her ideas to restore everyone’s faith in Cleveland’s potential,” according to WKYC.
Pittman, who has made the least noise in the race, said his focus is education, better jobs and free city services.
Polls in Cleveland close at 7:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Follow along with election results as they filter into the trackers below: