An Akron City Council member and two candidates from the May 6 primary election may owe the city thousands of dollars, but they likely won’t have to pay it.
During the Rules Committee meeting May 19, At-Large Council Member Jeff Fusco introduced an amendment to strike down an ordinance that requires Akron mayoral and City Council candidates to file a finance report with the Clerk of Council ahead of a primary election or be fined.
The ordinance, passed by City Council in 2000, requires candidates to file a campaign finance report with the city the Friday before an election.
The penalty for failing to submit a pre-election campaign finance report to the city is a $500 fine per day until the report is filed.
As of May 19, Ward 1 candidate Fran Wilson, who won the Democratic primary, and Ward 8 Council Member Bruce Bolden had filed their pre-primary finance reports with the city, according to documents obtained by Signal Akron through a public records request.
Under the ordinance, suspected violations are submitted to the Clerk of Council, who reports it to the Director of Law to investigate and enforce.
The candidates who had not filed their reports with the city 17 days after the deadline — Ward 1 Council Member Samuel DeShazior, Ward 1 candidate Emily Durway and Ward 8 candidate N.J. Akbar — technically owe the city at least $8,500. But, as of now, they won’t have to pay the fine.
“This ordinance has not historically been closely followed or enforced…” said city spokesperson Stephanie Marsh in an email to Signal Akron. “The administration does not intend to fine councilmembers not in compliance.”
Emily Durway, a candidate for the Ward 1 Akron City Council seat, chats briefly with Carol Baily Floyd outside St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on West Market Street during the May 6 primary election. Durway is one of three council candidates who had not filed a required election finance report with the city. (Susan Zake / Signal Akron)
” data-medium-file=”https://i0.wp.com/signalakron.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/durway-1.jpg?fit=300%2C194&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://i0.wp.com/signalakron.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/durway-1.jpg?fit=780%2C504&ssl=1″ onerror=”if (typeof newspackHandleImageError === ‘function’) newspackHandleImageError(this);” src=”https://i0.wp.com/signalakron.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/durway-1.jpg?resize=780%2C504&ssl=1″ alt=”Emily Durway, a candidate for the Ward 1 Akron City Council seat.” class=”wp-image-42990″ srcset=”https://i0.wp.com/signalakron.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/durway-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C662&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/signalakron.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/durway-1.jpg?resize=300%2C194&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/signalakron.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/durway-1.jpg?resize=768%2C496&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/signalakron.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/durway-1.jpg?resize=1200%2C775&ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/signalakron.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/durway-1.jpg?resize=780%2C504&ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/signalakron.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/durway-1.jpg?resize=400%2C258&ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/signalakron.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/durway-1.jpg?w=1500&ssl=1 1500w, https://i0.wp.com/signalakron.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/durway-1-1024×662.jpg?w=370&ssl=1 370w” sizes=”(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px”>
Local campaign finance law is ‘redundant,’ council member says
Under the Ohio Revised Code, candidates are already required to file reports with the county board of elections if they have raised or spent more than $1,000 prior to a primary election. The reports must be filed 12 days before a primary election, reporting the candidates’ finances through the 20th day before the election.
The reports require candidates to detail their financial holdings, debt and sources of income so that any conflicts of interest can be identified.
Filing a report with the city is “redundant,” Fusco said at the meeting, and it is “cumbersome” for the City Council staff tasked with preparing this report.
In theory, this would mean candidates could secure additional campaign finances in the days between the report deadlines that would not be disclosed until post-primary reports are submitted.
Fusco also said that, at the time of the ordinance’s passing, technology was not as sophisticated as it is today, so the finance reports were not available quickly to individuals interested in examining them. Now, it takes one to three business days on average to receive a copy of the reports, he said.
“Its time has come,” Fusco said at the meeting.
Fusco suggested the committee take time to review the proposed legislation. The committee voted to take time on the measure.
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