Politics
In an election that signaled both political and generational change, longtime Hilliard resident Nadia Rasul emerged as the top vote-getter in the November 4, 2025 City Council race securing one of four open seats and becoming the first Muslim woman ever elected to Hilliard’s council.
Rasul’s victory was decisive and historic, but according to her, the reason she won was simple: “People want to feel heard.”
In an interview following the election, Rasul said that many Hilliard residents feel their voices come too late in the decision-making process. By the time citizens deliver public comments, the council has often already signaled how it intends to vote.
“That’s why people are frustrated,” she said. “They want a city government that listens before decisions are made.”
There wasn’t a secret handshake. No incense or candles.
On a whim, I attended a meeting of the Columbus Democratic Socialists of America meeting on November 22. I had no idea what to expect, but I knew I was not satisfied with how Franklin County or the Columbus city government had been making decisions. To my surprise, I was surrounded by a diverse group of about a hundred other people who felt the same way.
Sitting in front of me was the legendary Joe Motil, former candidate for mayor. Sitting to my right was Jesse Vogel, former candidate for City Council District 7 (who won the voters of District 7, but still lost the election). And behind me sat Kate Curry-Da-Souza who ran as an independent in the primary for District 7 City Council.
Everyone had different, but authentic complaints.
Although the world is experiencing severe global crises, there are new efforts underway to create a more effective means of coping with them.
The crises are clear enough. They include vast slaughter in horrific wars, worldwide climate catastrophe, massive population displacement, and deepening poverty.
Moreover, these disastrous situations are likely to worsen in coming years. Modern wars are fought with increasingly devastating weapons, and preparations for nuclear war have escalated to the level of global annihilation. Similarly, time is running out for saving the planet from an environmental cataclysm, which will surely lead to heightened displacement and poverty.
This article first appeared on the Buckeye Flame.
In January, I became the first out transgender person to serve on a city council in Ohio when I was appointed to fill an open seat. I ran to keep that seat in November and lost, but I wasn’t deflated or discouraged.
I’m actually more energized and more committed than ever. And here’s why.
Back in 2023, I ran for the Ohio House of Representatives. I knew winning wouldn’t be easy. For starters, I was running in Ohio’s most conservative district. My opponent was a co-sponsor of the Ohio Drag Ban. But that wasn’t all. As a transgender woman running in that political climate, I had more than just a tough race ahead – I had to face the reality that people who didn’t want to see me or anyone like me in politics would do everything in their power to stop us.
I wasn’t alone, though. Alongside me, two other transgender women ran for Ohio House seats. Together, we were determined to show up, fight and challenge the status quo.
There’s no argument about one thing in looking at the results of the off-year elections: Republicans had a very bad day. We can all argue about what that means for the future, but there’s no way not to see this as anything other than an ass-whipping. Democratics won governor races in both New Jersey and Virginia, and they did so by beating the poll predictions by 6 and 10 precent. These were also victories of women candidates over men, which is an accomplishment in and of itself in these dark days. Zohran Mamdani won with a decisive majority over the former governor and longtime political lion of a New York State political dynasty. He is the youngest major there, as well as first Muslim, Southeast Asian, and former resident of Africa. He is also a socialist and will now be the socialist mayor of the largest US city since a socialist was mayor in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. That’s not all. California’s Governor Newsom won his controversial ballot referendum approving the redistricting that will give Democrats an opportunity to pick up five seats in the midterms to counter Trump’s efforts in Texas, North Carolina, and other states.
In reading the updated Oct 17 VOTER GUIDE from the Columbus Dispatch it’s important to notice the choice of words author Jordan Laird used to describe the UNDEMOCRATIC VOTING SYSTEM our city uses for City Council.
“Under Columbus' unusual district system, first rolled out in 2023, all nine city council members are elected citywide.”
“Unusual.” UNUSUAL is the word that Jordan Laird used. Why? Because it only favors the party in power and because candidates are forced to run a city-wide campaign. Remember the earlier primary of three candidates? Vogel won District 7 that time. The citizens that live in District 7 have already chosen him to be their next member of City Council; not Ross. It’s the MOST CREATIVE GERRYMANDERED SYSTEM INVENTED and it eliminates all competition from grassroots candidates (unless you have money). Franklin County Democrats LOVE IT since they normally don’t have to spent a single dime to get their “endorsed candidate” elected.
This Nov 4, Columbus Mayor Ginther is betting that you won’t read the ballot when voting on the 1.9 BILLION DOLLAR BOND ISSUE. All of the Opportunity City Political Action Committee mailings and commercials CLAIM that it won’t raise your taxes by a single penny. That’s true… because it’s a lot more.
Bond Issue 5 - $27 per $100,000
Bond Issue 6 - $27 per $100,000
Bond Issue 7 - $45 per $100,000
Bond Issue 8 - $49 per $100,000
Bond Issue 9 - $42 per $100,000
$190 total for each $100,000 in home value
Mayor Ginther’s golf partners want MORE OF YOUR TAX DOLLARS so they can buy another condo in Aspen. His wealthy friends, like the Haslams, LOVE FREE MONEY from Columbus tax payers who will foot the bill for cheap “affordable housing.” They get cash grants to pay for new apartments that they can raise rents on every year and become even more rich. THIS ISN’T ABOUT CHARITY. This is pure greed disguised as helping the middle class of Columbus.
Why wasn’t this done in Phase 1 of Zone-In?
Because they wanted expensive hi-rise buildings for the rich more than anything else (makes them more money).