Erica C. Crawley, a Democrat and the first Black woman elected to the Franklin County Board of Commissioners, is running for reelection in the Nov. 3 general election.

She faces two challengers. Republican Davide Cugini and Libertarian Eric Terford are also on the ballot for the Franklin County Commission seat. Dublin sits within Franklin County.

Candidate information

  • Party: Democratic
  • Hometown: Originally from Youngstown, Ohio
  • Education: High school diploma, Chaney High School; bachelor's degree in criminology, Cleveland State University (2008); master's degree in public administration, Walden University (2011); J.D., Capital University (2017)
  • Military service: U.S. Navy veteran; earned the Naval & Marine Corps Achievement Medal and the National Defense Service Medal
  • Family: Mother of twin girls; first-generation college graduate

Experience and public service

Crawley has served as a Franklin County commissioner since 2021 and was president of the Board of Commissioners in 2022, according to her county biography. She served in the Ohio House of Representatives beginning in 2019, according to BallotReady profile data.

Before entering elected office, Crawley worked as a law clerk at Eastman & Smith Ltd. from 2016 to 2018 and at American Honda Motor Company's legal division in 2015. She served as an advocacy coordinator at Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children from 2011 to 2013. She also worked at Cuyahoga County Job & Family Services, the YMCA Head Start/Early Head Start Program and the National Black Child Development Institute in Atlanta. She participated in the Columbus Bar Association's Minority Clerkship Program.

In the legislature, Crawley served on the House Finance Committee and the Armed Services & Veterans Affairs Committee. She was a member of the Correctional Institution Inspection Committee. She was an appointee to the Governor's Commission on Infant Mortality and the Commission on Minority Health and a founding member of Ohio's Black Maternal Health Caucus.

On the issues

The following positions are drawn from Crawley's responses to BallotReady questionnaires and her campaign website.

Housing: Crawley said she is working to ensure everyone in the community can have an affordable place to live and to reduce the number of residents who are rent burdened.

Healthcare: Crawley said she is working to create a health equity and outcomes policy advisor position to coordinate with every level of government.

She said she is enhancing the focus on maternal and infant health by continuing to work with CelebrateOne, ROOTT, Cradle Cincinnati, Queens Village, grassroots organizations across the state and the federal government.

Economy and jobs: Crawley said she advocates for more job training services and after-school programs to ensure everyone in Franklin County has an opportunity to earn a living wage. She said she is fighting to ensure county policies support children and families, including creating pathways out of poverty and reducing criminality.

Public safety: Crawley said she works to ensure residents can live in their communities with safety and security, advocating at every level of government for legislation that protects citizens and law enforcement and brings transparency and accountability.

Environment: Crawley said she advocates for green energy policy and building standards at the county level.

Endorsements

The AFL-CIO has endorsed Crawley, according to BallotReady data.

Candidate issue positions are based on responses submitted through BallotReady questionnaires and the candidate's campaign website. The Dublin Ledger presents them for informational purposes and does not endorse candidates.