Want To Be Mayor Of Shaker Heights? Submit An Application

SHAKER HEIGHTS, OH — Mayor Earl Leiken will officially resign his post on March 31, leaving the city to become Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish's chief of staff. Leiken's pending departure will leave a vacancy sign on the Shaker Heights mayor's office. City council wants to fill that vacancy.

The council is currently accepting applications for people interested in serving as Shaker Heights mayor. Candidates that are deemed the most qualified will be interviewed by city council.

The person appointed to serve as mayor will have a short-term in office. The appointment will only last until Dec. 31, 2018. The appointed mayor will then have to run in the 2018 general election for the opportunity to fulfill Leiken's term, which runs until the end of 2019.

A regularly scheduled mayoral election will be held at the end of 2019 to elect a candidate to the position for four years. Applicants will need to fill out a questionnaire to be considered. All of the needed materials can be downloaded by clicking here.

Leiken has been mayor of Shaker Heights since 2008. His departure fulfills the changing of the old guard in the east side, which has seen several suburbs, including Beachwood and University Heights, oust their longtime mayors. Leiken will leave on his own terms to join Budish's staff.

"As a mayor, I am keenly aware of the fact that many of the most important challenges to our area's future can be addressed most effectively at the regional and county level. I am deeply grateful to the residents of Shaker Heights for the opportunity to serve them as mayor for over 10 years and want to assure them of a smooth and successful transition to my successor," Leiken said.

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