Contributors: Rachel Jamison, Deb Wang, and Aaron Yeager.
This November, voters in Stow and Munroe Falls will determine who is appointed to fill a number of City Council seats in both communities, along with who will be elected to the Board of Education for the Stow-Munroe Falls City School District and as Judge of Stow Municipal Court. There are a handful of county and city issues on the ballot as well. Find our recommendations on who and what to vote for, including a sample ballot for Stow and Munroe Falls, below.
Table of Contents
1. Important dates for voting
2. Sample Ballot – Stow, Ohio
3. Sample ballot – Munroe Falls, Ohio
4. Details on candidates and issues
Important dates for voting
ELECTION DAY IS TUESDAY NOVEMBER 4, 2025.
Polls open at 6:30 AM and close at 7:30 PM. You can find your polling location by looking up your name on the Board of Elections website.
Other important dates are below:
| Date(s) | Deadline Description |
|---|---|
| 9/19 | Military and overseas absentee voting begins. |
| 10/6 | Deadline to register to vote. |
| 10/28 | Absentee ballot applications must be received by Summit County Board of Elections. |
| 10/7 – 11/2 | Early in-person voting at the Summit County Board of Elections. Please note that its address has changed to 1050 E Tallmadge Ave, Akron, OH 44310. Final deadline for hand-delivered absentee ballots is Election Day, Nov. 4, 7:30 PM. Absentee ballots must be returned to the Board of Elections, not polling stations. Board of Elections opens on the Saturday and Sunday before Election Day (Saturday, 11/1 and Sunday, 11/2). |
| 10/8 – 11/4 | Absentee voting by mail. *Absentee ballots must be postmarked by Mon., Nov. 3 and received by the Board of Elections by Sat., Nov. 8. |
Sample Ballot – Stow, Ohio
Below is a sample ballot for Stow, Ohio, with our voting recommendations. If you live somewhere else in Summit County, you can find your sample ballot by looking up your name on the Board of Elections website.
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Sample ballot – Munroe Falls, Ohio
Below is a sample ballot for Munroe Falls, Ohio, with our voting recommendations. If you live somewhere else in Summit County, you can find your sample ballot by looking up your name on the Board of Elections website.
Details on Candidates and Issues
Read about our recommendations and endorsements below.
Table of Contents
1. Judge of Stow Municipal Court and Director of Law
2. Stow City Council
3. Stow-Munroe Falls Board of Education
4. Munroe Falls City Council
5. Issues (County and City)
Judge, Stow Municipal Court
Amber Zibritosky
ENDORSED BY STOW COLLABORATION FOR CHANGE
Not only has Amber been rated “Excellent” by the bipartisan Judicial Commission of the Akron Bar Association, she also brings 15 years of experience with the Stow Municipal Court. Amber is committed to addressing the underlying causes of crime and plans to “create and preside over the Court’s first specialized Drug and Multiple OVI Offender Court to help eligible offenders break the cycle of addiction for good.” Amber has been appointed to several criminal justice boards, including the Facilities Governing Board for Summit County’s CBCFs and the Advisory Board for Oriana House. She’s the only licensed attorney running for this seat and is committed to continuing to “safeguard the pursuit and administration of justice so that it works for all of us, no matter where you are from, no matter how you pray, no matter how much money you have, and no matter your race, gender or sexual orientation.” We’re happy to endorse her.
Director of Law, City of Stow
Drew C. Reilly is running unopposed. We recommend giving him your vote.
Stow City Council
At Large:
Kim Young
ENDORSED BY STOW COLLABORATION FOR CHANGE
Kim is committed to “efforts that keep Stow safe and welcoming, from emergency services to mental health resources” and “partnering with schools and supporting institutions like our public library help create opportunity for all ages.” She’s endorsed by the Stow-Munroe Falls Democratic Club, Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund, Local Unions, Derrick Hall, and a number of others. If elected, she’ll focus on “what makes daily life better for everyone in Stow,” whether ‘it’s beautifying neighborhoods, supporting local arts, or hosting family events and supporting seniors. We fully support her.
Cyle Feldman
Cyle is running for Stow City Council At-Large. We recommend giving him your vote.
Kyle Herman
ENDORSED BY STOW COLLABORATION FOR CHANGE
Kyle has served on Stow City Council since 2024. Kyle is a huge proponent of ranked choice voting and co-founded Rank the Vote Ohio. During his time on City Council, he started a #StowPride campaign and “joined other out elected officials in Columbus to raise awareness about the obstacles that LGBTQ Ohioans still face.” Kyle supports Stow’s parks and green spaces and was endorsed by the Sierra Club and Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund. We’re glad to endorse him, as well.
Ward 1:
Matt Riehl is running unopposed. We are not confident in recommending a vote in his favor, based on his “F” rating from the Stow Sunshine Project.
Ward 2:
Kelly Coffey is running for Stow City Council, Ward 2. We recommend giving her your vote.
Ward 3:
John M. Baranek is running unopposed for Stow City Council, Ward 3. We recommend giving him your vote.
Ward 4:
Mario Fiocca is running unopposed for Stow City Council, Ward 4. We are not confident in recommending a vote in his favor, based on his “D” rating from the Stow Sunshine Project.
Stow-Munroe Falls Board of Education
There are three Board of Education seats on the line in this year’s election. With increasing challenges for vulnerable student populations and threats to public education at both the state and federal levels, the results of the election will play a pivotal role in future of Stow-Munroe Falls School District.
Dr. Pamela Wind
ENDORSED BY STOW COLLABORATION FOR CHANGE
Pamela is the current President of the BoE and is running for re-election after serving a previous term which began in 2022. Pamela played a pivotal role in hiring Dr. Felisha Gould as superintendent, helped pass the Pride Month Resolution, developed and implemented a Student Representative position on the Board, and has remained committed to protecting vulnerable students. We’re proud to endorse her. Read more about Pamela’s campaign, priorities, and stance on important issues here.
Kathrine Dannemiller
ENDORSED BY STOW COLLABORATION FOR CHANGE
Born and raised in Stow, Ohio, Kathrine is a fierce advocate for children’s education and well-being. Kathrine, who served as a English/Language Arts teacher for many years, as well as a coach for the Speech and Debate Team, is currently self employed in the mental health field, with her services focusing on children and adolescents. She is committed to putting students first and “protecting and strengthening our public schools so every child has access to a safe, inclusive, high-quality education.” We strongly endorse her. Learn more about Kathrine’s campaign and stances here.
Tina Merlitti
ENDORSED BY STOW COLLABORATION FOR CHANGE
Raised in Stow, Ohio and a current resident of Munroe Falls, Tina has extensive experience in school safety, government finance, and school facilities. Tina has been serving a partial term on the BoE since January 2025 after filling a board vacancy left after Nancy Binzel’s resignation. She brings a wealth of experience and knowledge and will fight against the defunding of public education. Learn more about why we endorse Tina here.
Munroe Falls City Council
At Large:
Al Prince
Al is running for Munroe-Falls City Council At-Large as a Write-In Candidate. We recommend giving him your vote.
Chris Ritzinger
Chris is running for Munroe-Falls City Council At-Large. We recommend giving him your vote.
Ward 1:
Ross Widenor
ENDORSED BY STOW COLLABORATION FOR CHANGE
Ross has served on the Munroe Falls City Council since 2022 and currently serves as Council President. Before being elected to City Council, he chaired the Munroe Falls Park Board, demonstrating his committment to sustainability and the environment. Ross is a supporter of ranked choice voting and testified in opposition to House Bill 8. He was instrumental in passing the City’s first Pride Month Resolution in 2022, has helped improve city infrastructure, and works diligently to keep citizens informed. We’re thrilled to endorse him.
Ward 3:
No Recommendation
We have received contradicting reports related to the Ward 3 Munroe Falls City Council election. While the ballot continues to reflect John Impellizzeri as running, we have received reports that he has dropped out of the race due to recent controversy leading to his resignation from his current Council seat. Connie Collinson is also running for the seat, however, we don’t have any clear indicators of her policies or stances, as she does not have a candidate website or any campaign social media pages. With this in mind, we are not in a position to recommend a candidate.
County and City Issues
Summit County Issues
Issue 1: Proposed Tax Levy for County of Summit – Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services (ADM) Board Levy
We recommend voting “YES.”
Seventy-seven percent of the ADM Board’s annual operating budget is funded through the local levy. The ADM levy is crucial to ensure thousands of Summit County residents get the care and services they need, including 24/7 crisis and support hotlines, a 24/7 walk-in detox center, adolescent prevention programs, recovery housing, addiction treatment resources, and children and adolescent mental health support. The ADM Board helps “people of all ages and incomes get care, no matter their insurance status.”
The levy will help provide services that ultimately save money, as treatment programs cost less than jail or ER visits. The levy will also support training first responders, as the ADM Board provides “training services for crisis hotlines as well as intervention strategies for police, firefighters, and EMTs.”
The cost of the levy for a homeowner of a $100,000 home is $6.25 per month or $75 a year. 95% of the ADM Board budget is spent on direct services.
Issue 2: Proposed Charter Amendment, County of Summit – Property Tax
We recommend voting “YES.”
Issue 2 is a charter amendment designed to “shield property owners from major rate increases on at least a portion of their tax bill when their valuations rise.” It will allow Summit County to preserve critical public safety services, like “911 dispatching, courts, and veterans’ services, by maintaining funding with no new increase in taxes.” The amendment protects taxpayers from large and sudden increases in property tax bills by “limiting the county’s unvoted millage growth to a maximum of 3% annually, if home values increase.”
Currently, there is no cap on millage growth. According to the County of Summit Executive’s Office, millage increases proportionally to a property’s valuation, meaning:
“…if a home valuation increases by 20%, the county is currently entitled to a 20% increase in inside millage. In 2024, the County ‘collected $40,720,259 from its 2.2 mills. A 20% valuation increase would increase this collection by over $8 million to $48,864,310. If the 3% growth cap is in effect, Summit County government would instead collect $41,941,866.”
From the Akron Beacon Journal:
“In her state of the county speech, Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro explained why the county introduced the proposed charter amendment. She said it was clear the county had to ease residents’ rising property taxes because of the legislature’s consideration of the “dangerous and potentially devastating option” of eradicating several types of property taxes — with the added threat of a citizen-led drive, still in the petition phase, to put a proposal on Ohio’s November 2026 ballot to eliminate property taxes entirely.”
Stow Issues
Issue 42: Proposed Charter Amendment, City of Stow
We recommend voting “YES.”
Issue 42 would update Stow’s charter in relation to posting requirements for public notices. The amendment would require public notices to posted on the City’s website and any other social media platforms utilized by the City for notice purposes, and no less than three public places must be established for public postings. The major changes outlined are:
- The addition of the requirement for posting on the City’s social media platforms.
- Reducing the required number of physical locations where notices must be posted from six to three. Three of the six currently established posting locations are in buildings that are not commonly frequented by residents.
The updates outlined in Issue 42 increase the accessibility of public notices by having them required on social media, instead of postings being required in three additional buildings that are not commonly frequented by the public.
Issue 43: Proposed Charter Amendment, City of Stow
We recommend voting “YES.”
Issue 43 would update Stow’s charter in relation to guidelines for the Charter Review Commission and provide more reasonable and established timeframes for the Charter Review process.
Issue 43 would:
- Add additional guidelines to the timeframe that must be provided to Charter Review Commission to evaluate and prepare their recommendations.
- Provide additional time for the Charter Review Commission to prepare the ballot language for approved amendments to the charter for submission to the Board of Elections.