Paula Hicks-Hudson elected as Toledo City Council president

Paula Hicks-Hudson

Toledo City Council ended an ongoing impasse over selecting a new president and elected Councilman Paula Hicks-Hudson as its new leader during a special meeting today.

Ms. Hicks-Hudson, a Democrat, was elected 11-1. Republican Tom Waniewski voted no.

That vote came after an 8-4 vote in favor of Ms. Hicks-Hudson.

That vote's majority included all of council's Democrats including Ms. Hicks-Hudson herself. Republican George Sarantou received the other four votes, from himself, fellow Republicans Mr. Waniewski and Rob Ludeman, and independent D. Michael Collins.

The second vote was taken apparently to show wider support for Ms. Hicks-Hudson after the first vote, which clearly ran down party lines.

Councilman Joe McNamara resigned last week as council president to pursue his mayoral campaign, but remains a councilman.

Ms. Paula Hicks-Hudson and Councilmen Adam Martinez, both Democrats, and Mr. Sarantou were each nominated last week to be president, but none received the necessary seven majority votes.

Ms. Hicks-Hudson, a lawyer, was appointed to the District 4 council seat in January, 2011, after Michael Ashford was elected to the 48th House District in the Ohio General Assembly. She was elected to a full four-year council term in November, 2011, defeating Green Party candidate Anita Rios.

District 4 includes central-city Toledo and the Old West End.