Mogadore Village’s Only Out Council Member Seeks Fourth Term

Bobby McDowall was a college student when he first decided in 2013 to run for village council of his hometown, Mogadore Village.

That year, nobody filed to run for the one seat open on council in the small, tightknit Akron suburb, so he went down to the Municipal Building, filed as a write-in candidate, and eventually went on to win.

Flash forward ten years, and McDowall—Mogadore’s only out councilmember—is running for a fourth term. Now a 32-year-old paralegal and law student at the University of Akron, he says he’s learned many lessons over his decade of service.

“You’ve got to be in the room to have an impact on what decisions are made. It’s one thing to donate, vote, and talk to elected officials—all also extremely important—but a lot of the decisions are made in those closed rooms. If you’re not in there advocating for the good progressive position, who is?”

The Buckeye Flame chatted with McDowall about his record, his run for reelection, and what it means to be the only out LGBTQ+ person in the room where major decisions affecting his town are made.

What drove you to initially enter local politics ten years ago?

When I first got involved in 2012, I was a college student volunteering for the Obama campaign. I was a lot younger and had a lot more energy, so I was helping a lot of local candidates. I met people on Akron City Council and the mayor of Cuyahoga Falls, who explained to me that local politics is just as important as national politics. So, in 2013, when I found out there was an open seat on Mogadore Village Council and nobody had filed to run for it, I filed as a write-in candidate and got elected unopposed. 

Now running for your fourth term, what is your proudest accomplishment of your council service over the past decade?

We’ve made some major improvements at the local park. We’re a town of about 3,800 people, and we have one park. We’re currently installing a new walking trail. We just put in pickleball courts. We made improvements to the baseball field for the high school team and put in storm drainage systems. We’ve invested a lot of resources in our local park, and that’s what I’m most proud of.

What will be the biggest priority of your fourth term?

I want to continue to invest in our park. We still have some stimulus money from the CARES Act, and I’ve been advocating for that to be spent on making further improvements to the park. We also have a vacant golf course that is going to be developed. The developer is slated to start that project within the next year, so we also need to make sure he is following all of the correct regulations and doing a good job.

What’s it like being the only openly LGBTQ+ member of Mogadore Village Council?

My community has been really accepting. I’ve lived here my whole life, and it’s a small town, so many people have known me since I was a kid. It’s a lot harder to be bigoted or close-minded when you’ve known someone since age four. As far as being the only out person in the room, it can be difficult. People don’t always think the same way I do, but I’m there to explain my point of view, and my colleagues have been very open-minded.

As a seasoned candidate, what advice would you give to other members of the LGBTQ+ community who are interested in running for local office?

I would say to get out there and do it. You only have one life to live, and you shouldn’t spend it being afraid of what might happen. All of these positions are very important—whether they’re at the local, state, or national level—and we need to fill them with smart people who care and understand the issues. Even if you don’t win, it’s important that you run and give voters the chance to make the right choice. Even a failed campaign is a good thing for your community, and I think you should definitely put yourself out there and go for it.

Any final thoughts?

I just want to urge everyone reading this to vote in every election. There is no such thing as an off-year election. This year, we have two very important statewide issues on the ballot, in addition to all of the judicial elections, mayor elections, and city council elections. So make sure you have a plan to get out and vote and to encourage your friends to get out and vote, too. 🔥

---

IGNITE ACTION

• Check your voter registration here. (Do it now. Not registered? Register.)
• Learn more about Bobby McDowall by visiting his Twitter or Facebook page.