The 2016 Summit County, Ohio Executive election took place on November 8, 2016. Incumbent Democratic County Executive Russ Pry ran for re-election to a third term. He won the Democratic primary unopposed, but announced that he would withdraw from the race after he was diagnosed with colon cancer, and died shortly thereafter.[1] County Council President Ilene Shapiro became County Executive and was selected as the Democratic Party's nominee in the general election.[2]
In the general election, Shapiro faced Bill Roemer, the Republican nominee and a former County Councilman. Shapiro significantly outraised and outspent Roemer,[3] and won the endorsement of the Akron Beacon Journal.[4] She ultimately defeated Roemer in a landslide, receiving 59 percent of the vote to Roemer's 41 percent.[5]
Pry announced that he would end his campaign for re-election on July 30, 2016, and died the next day.[1] The Summit County Democratic Party convened to select a replacement nominee. Shapiro, the President of the County Council and the interim County Executive following Pry's death, announced that she would seek the nomination, and was unanimously selected as the replacement nominee.[2]
