I know and understand the value of community – I work for you.
Monique Smith
Dear Berea voter,
I’m Representative Monique Smith, and I currently serve Ohio’s 16th House District in the Ohio House of
Representatives. I was born in Ohio, graduated from The Ohio State University, and have lived on the
west side of Greater Cleveland with my husband for nearly 20 years. It is here where we are raising our
two, school-aged children.
I was elected to represent Ohio’s 16th House District thanks to a grassroots campaign, fueled by
hundreds of volunteers demanding change from their state government. Voters ultimately decided that
I best represent their values.
Because of Ohio redistricting, House District 16 will change and include the additional communities of
Berea, Olmsted Falls, and Olmsted Township. I currently represent nearly 70% of the new House District 16 I am the only candidate in the August 2nd primary who currently represents any portion of the
district. I’m proud of the relationships I’ve built with each community in House District 16, and I’m eager
and enthusiastic to meet constituents in Berea. I enjoy speaking with every resident I meet while
knocking doors.
Throughout my term, I’ve fought for the rights of Ohio’s workers, families, and seniors. I know and
understand the value of community, and I work to ensure that our neighborhoods have the resources
they need to thrive.
I represent our community as:
- A mother of young children fighting for school safety and excellence in education
- A Moms Demand Action volunteer and supporter since 2015, earning the endorsement from
- Everytown for Gun Safety
- A former City Councilwoman fighting to keep tax dollars in our local communities. Working in city government offered a unique perspective of how the state should and can work to support local communities
- A fighter defending the right for women and families to make their own reproductive decisions
As a member of the 134 th General Assembly, I’ve introduced nine bills as a primary or joint sponsor and have co-sponsored over 150 bills. My bills include:
- Establishing a Fair Paycheck Workplace certificate
- A Bi-Partisan Diaper Tax Elimination bill to combat inflation and put money back into the pockets of working Ohio families
- Expanding mental health services through ensuring those voluntarily seeking admission can be helped and creating a mental health preparedness plan for pandemics, natural disasters, and mass casualties
- Several gun bills including enacting red flag laws to keep guns out of the wrong hands and funding programs to curb gun violence and support victims affected using the sales tax of firearms and ammunition
As a community leader, I listen to the needs of community members and leaders to make sure that I’m working for you in Columbus. Fostering strong community relationships is crucial to understanding the needs of constituents. In my first two years as State Representative, I:
- Met with every in-district fire and police chief
- Met with every in-district public-school superintendent in person or by phone
- Attended city council meetings to inform on policy impacting local government
- Held regular town halls and constituent office hours
- Met with staff and clients of five senior centers to understand their needs and concerns
- Advocated to the State Teacher Retirement System staff for restoration of Cost-of-Living Allotment in teacher pensions
- Mailed over 2,000 letters to public school teachers and paraprofessionals thanking them for tireless work for our students
- Worked personally with constituents dealing with state issues like unemployment, BMV difficulties, and Medicaid
My concern for our community comes from having experienced tough challenges growing up. As a
daughter of a single mother, my family struggled to overcome issues like threats to safety and stability
caused by domestic violence, doing full-time work without a living wage or health insurance and
difficulty finding affordable, high-quality childcare and housing in areas with good schools. Thanks to
perseverance and access to resources and opportunities, I’m able to give back to our community.
I humbly ask for your support in the August 2nd Democratic Primary. I work for you, and that continues to
be my number one priority.
Yours in service,
State Representative Monique Smith