Voters in Cuyahoga County to remake government

CLEVELAND, Nov. 4, 2009 (AP): Ohio's most populous county is remaking its government to replace an administration targeted by a federal corruption investigation.

Voters in Cuyahoga County, which includes Cleveland, approved a ballot issue Tuesday that replaces the three county commissioners with an elected county executive and an 11-member council.

With 84 percent of precincts reporting unofficial results, the issue won with 66 percent of the vote and 34 percent against.

Many business interests—including the Hispanic Roundtable—backed the proposal contained in Issue 6, called the New Cuyahoga Plan. The county and its closest suburbs have been the scene of an investigation targeting alleged corruption in county government.

Democrats who control the county commission pushed for a charter commission to study and suggest changes. That ballot issue—Issue 5—was rejected.

Among Ohio's 88 counties, only Summit County, which includes Akron, has a county executive form of government.