DAYTON — BREAKING UPDATE:
Voters have selected the two candidates who will serve on the Dayton City Commission.
Matt Joseph and Chris Shaw, both already serving on the Dayton City Commission secured the the most votes.
Joseph will now serve and sixth term and Shaw a third term.
INITIAL REPORTS:
Four candidates, including two incumbents, will face off for the two available seats on the Dayton City Commission Tuesday.
In May, voters chose which four candidates would face off:
- Matt Joseph (incumbent)
- Chris Shaw (incumbent)
- Valerie Duncan
- Marcus Bedinger
The two who get the most votes will win office.
Matt Joseph won the most votes in May.
He was first elected to Dayton City Commission in 2004 and is serving his fifth term.
Before his election to the Commission, Joseph served as Chief Deputy Clerk of Courts for Montgomery County.
In May, Joseph focused on safe and affordable housing.
“It’s gratifying to see the voters agree with our approach to how things are done, what we’re doing, some of the focus on demolishing decrepit housing, focus on bringing jobs back to the city, focus on making the city clean and safe,” Joseph said.
Shaw, also a current member of the Dayton City Commission is seeking a third term.
He is also the owner of a textile cleaning business, “Shaw Cleaners” which is over 100 years old.
“I look at this as an opportunity to get the message out, especially when we go through things on the dais that we really shouldn’t have to have those conversations, it’s an opportunity to clarify those kinds of conversations, it’s an opportunity to clarify things, to say ‘Hey, we’re trying to do the best thing for you as the city of Dayton residents and that’s what we’re going to continue to do, I’m really excited about it,’” Shaw said in May.
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Duncan and Bedinger will seek to build momentum on issues they believe voters are interested in.
Duncan has over 31 years working for the State, Montgomery County and the City of Dayton, according to her campaign.
Her platform focuses on the development of neighborhoods, additional resources for seniors, women, drug recovery and youth activities, as well as neighborhood and small business development.
“Social services is another thing that I want to focus on, human services. We need to look at senior services, at homeless, at people trying to kick addictions, abused women,” Duncan said.
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Bedinger is the youngest of the candidates at 35 years old.
He grew up in Trotwood before moving to New York with his partner.
While in New York, Bedinger struggled with rising rent costs and landed in the New York City Shelter system.
During the pandemic, Bedinger and his family moved back to Dayton.
“As someone who has experienced having nowhere to call home, losing a job, utility shut-offs, going without food and healthcare, or having run-ins with police because of the way I look— I understand deeply the connection between city policy and having peace of mind,” Bedinger wrote on social media.
We will continue following this election and have the latest results here as they come in.