The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections announced Wednesday that the recall petition to remove Cleveland Heights Mayor Kahlil Seren from office has enough signatures to move forward.
For weeks, dozens of Cleveland Heights residents have taken to the streets to collect signatures in an effort to remove Seren from office and on Monday, they turned in the petition for validation.
The group collected over four thousand signatures.
RELATED: Petition to remove Cleveland Heights' first-ever mayor turned in for validation
On June 30, the Clerk of Council is set to certify verification to the council at a meeting. It will then notify the mayor of the recall on that same day, both in person and by email, according to Council President Tony Cuda.
The council president stated that following verification and notification, the clock will start, during which the Seren will have five days to resign.
If he chooses not to step down, the city council will vote to put the recall on the Sept. 9 ballot during the July 7 meeting, Cuda said.
"This office is the people's office. It's not one man's office or one woman's office. It's the people's office. And it's us who will decide who sits in this office," said James Bates, a supporter of the recall effort.
A day after our story aired, Seren sent News 5 this statement:
While I respect the legal process that allows residents to seek a recall, I must express serious concern about the underlying motives and rhetoric now surrounding this effort.
As one organizer stated: “We want a smooth transition when our next mayor takes office. To achieve this, our new mayor needs a 2026 budget created to set them up for success, not limits to their ability to put their vision into action.”
Let’s be very clear: the suggestion that someone who has not yet been elected, who has not earned the public’s trust or mandate, should begin shaping the next administration’s vision through the 2026 budget process is not just premature; it’s undemocratic. No matter who the voters choose in November to be our next Mayor, I am committed to fulfilling my duty to bring the Mayor-elect in to facilitate a transition process that puts the City in the best possible position for progress and success in the new term, and in the long term.
According to our City Charter, if I am removed, Council President Tony Cuda would assume the role of Acting Mayor until December 31. That is not a neutral caretaker position; it is an unelected, interim appointment that would suddenly gain outsized influence over the future of our city. This is an effective elimination of the separation of powers and checks and balances in our city government. If those behind this recall are now suggesting that vision-setting should begin before the people have even voted, then we must ask: whose vision is really being pushed here, and who benefits from cutting voters out of that process?
This is not how democratic transitions work. This is not how trust is built. This is how political power is consolidated under the guise of civic concern.
The Clerk of Council is expected to certify the validity of the petitions on July 7. At that time, I will take my responsibility seriously to carefully consider the full ramifications of resignation. In the meantime, I will continue to carry out my responsibilities faithfully and transparently through the end of my time as Mayor. The people of Cleveland Heights deserve leadership chosen by them, not installed by those with their own political ambitions.
Ultimately, the people will decide which path to take. It is all of our responsibility, individually and collectively, to make a truly informed decision. To that end, we will try to ensure that a full and accurate record is available to advance the democratic process.
Let the voters decide in November who should lead our city forward, not a small group engineering outcomes behind the scenes.
Seren has been the subject of controversy for months, with a former city hall employee alleging his wife created a hostile work environment.
