Election Notice

The Ohio Soil and Water Conservation Commission will cause an election of Supervisors of the Summit County  Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) to be held in accordance with Chapter 940 of the Ohio Revised Code. Individuals who own or occupy land within the Summit County Soil and Water Conservation District and are 18 years of age or older may vote for Supervisor.

There are three ways an eligible voter can cast a ballot:
  1.  At the SWCD office, 1180 S. Main Street, Suite 230 Akron, OH 44301, from 8/28/2024 until 9/25/2024 during normal business hours (7:30 AM – 4:00 PM); or
  2.  At the SWCD Annual Meeting, which will take place at Sarah’s Vineyard, 1204 W. Steels Corners Road, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44223 on 9/26/2024 from 1:00 PM to 2:00PM ; or
  3. Voting absentee from 8/28/2024 until 9/26/2024, by requesting the ballot application and election ballot from the SWCD office at the following address 1180 S. Main Street, Suite 230, Akron, OH 44301, by calling 330-926-2445, or email [email protected]. Absentee ballots must be received by the SWCD office before 9/26/2024 at 8:00 AM.                                                           
  One Supervisor will be elected to a three‐year term commencing January 1, 2025 and ending December 31, 2027.

Current Nominees:

Sarah Blakely

Sarah Blakely has worked as a Grants Manager at Western Reserve Land Conservancy since 2021, where she helps secure public funding for land conservation and restoration projects throughout Northeast Ohio. Before joining the Land Conservancy, Sarah worked as an account manager in the health insurance and software sectors.

Originally from Indiana, Sarah has lived in Summit County since 2011 and currently resides in Fairlawn with her husband Ross and their dog Wallace. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Finance from Huntington University (Huntington, IN) and a master’s degree in Wellness Management from Ball State University (Muncie, IN).

Moving to Northeast Ohio sparked a passion for the outdoors that led Sarah to contribute to local conservation efforts. She is an Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist, volunteers with Cuyahoga Valley National Park, and was previously a water quality monitor volunteer with SSWCD. In addition, she enjoys supporting the local running community and is a member of the Akron Marathon Start Line Committee.
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In her free time, Sarah enjoys baking, reading, being out on local trails, and adding native plants to her landscaping. 
David Whited

​Born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, David Whited is a 40-year resident of Summit County. He is a seasoned public administrator with over 40 years of experience in local government and non-profit boards and commissions. His expertise is in sustainability, park planning, strategic planning and project management.
 
David has a Batchelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture and a master’s degree in public administration. He served as the planning director of the Summit Metroparks for 30 years and upon retirement continued to volunteer his time as a board member for several local public and private organizations. Dave is currently serving on the Village of Silver Lake Planning Commission, Silver Lake Citizens Housing Committee, Hudson Society of Artist governing board and beginning in August of 2024 will begin serving as a member of the Summit County Planning Commission.
 
In his free time David enjoys hiking, biking, birdwatching and traveling. He is also a professional illustrator, photographer and artist.