Crawley seeks re-election to Franklin County Commission

Erica C. Crawley, a Democrat and the incumbent Franklin County commissioner, is running for re-election on Nov. 3, 2026. She faces Republican Davide Cugini and Libertarian Eric Terford.

Franklin County's three-member Board of Commissioners oversees the county budget, sets policy for county agencies and approves land-use decisions that affect communities across the county, including Hilliard.

Crawley is the first Black woman elected to the Franklin County Board of Commissioners, according to the county's website. She served as president of the board in 2022.

Candidate information

Party: Democratic
Hometown: Youngstown, Ohio
Education: High school diploma, Chaney High School; bachelor's degree in criminology, Cleveland State University (2008); master's degree in public administration, Walden University (2011); juris doctor, Capital University (2017)
Military service: U.S. Navy veteran; earned the Naval & Marine Corps Achievement Medal and the National Defense Service Medal
Family: Mother of twin girls; first-generation college graduate

Experience and public service

Before joining the commission, Crawley served as a state representative in the Ohio House of Representatives beginning in 2019, according to BallotReady profile data. In the legislature, she sat on the House Finance Committee and the Armed Services & Veterans Affairs Committee. She also served on the Correctional Institution Inspection Committee.

Crawley was an appointee to the Governor's Commission on Infant Mortality and the Commission on Minority Health. She is a founding member of Ohio's Black Maternal Health Caucus.

She worked as a law clerk at Eastman & Smith Ltd. from 2016 to 2018. She also served as a law clerk in the legal division of American Honda Motor Company in 2015 and as an advocacy coordinator at Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children from 2011 to 2013. Earlier, she worked at Cuyahoga County Job & Family Services, the YMCA Head Start/Early Head Start Program and the National Black Child Development Institute in Atlanta.

On the issues

Crawley's positions below come from her responses to BallotReady questionnaires and her campaign website.

Housing: Crawley said she is working to ensure everyone in the community can have an affordable place to live and to reduce those who are rent burdened.

Healthcare: Crawley said she is working to create a health equity and outcomes policy advisor position that will work with every level of government. She said she is also enhancing the focus on maternal and infant health initiatives. That includes continuing to work with CelebrateOne, ROOTT, Cradle Cincinnati, Queens Village and grassroots organizations across the state and the federal government, she said.

Economy and wages: Crawley said she is fighting to ensure policies support children and families, especially to create pathways out of poverty and reduce criminality. She said she advocates for more job training services and after-school programs so everyone in Franklin County has an opportunity to earn a living wage.

Public safety: Crawley said she works to ensure residents can live in their communities with safety and security. She said she advocates at every level of government for legislation that protects citizens and law enforcement while bringing transparency and accountability.

Environment: Crawley said she advocates for green energy policy and building standards at the county level.