CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio – The race to be Cleveland Heights’ second elected mayor began Tuesday night with City Councilman Jim Petras holding a sizable lead.

With 10 of 33 precincts reporting, Petras led City Council Vice President Davida Russell led with just over 56.8% of the vote, according to unofficial results from the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections.

The results do not include any election-day votes.

Russell, a 50-year Cleveland Heights resident and council member since 2019, campaigned on her community ties and legislative record, citing the allocation of $5 million for Noble-Taylor neighborhood improvements and $1 million for local businesses.

Russell works as a bus driver and substitute teacher in the South Euclid-Lyndhurst schools and has held leadership positions in seve

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