House Democrats applaud Crawley's public service, announce replacement process for House District 26

Ohio House Democratic Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) today applauded former Rep. Erica C. Crawley (D-Columbus) for her service to the Ohio House and the constituents of District 26 as she departs the legislature to serve as Franklin County Commissioner. 

“The experience, passion and perspective Ms. Crawley brought every day to serve her community and inform our work for the people will be deeply missed,” said Leader Sykes. “We thank her for her years of service and look forward to what is yet to come for her as she serves on the Franklin County Board of Commissioners and our caucus as we continue to work to restore Ohio’s promise of better lives, brighter futures and an economy that works for everyone.”

Crawley was appointed to the Franklin County Commission June 24 and begins her service today.

The House Democratic Caucus will announce the application period in the coming weeks for individuals seeking appointment to Ohio’s 26th House District. A new member cannot be seated before an official vote on the House floor, but Speaker Cupp has declined to schedule an additional session day prior to the Sept. 2021 re-convening.

Democrats today announced that the District 26 office will remain open and fully staffed, and that Columbus-area Reps. Kristin Boggs (D-Columbus) and Dontavius Jarrells (D-Columbus) will assist in constituent services until an appointment is made. 

After an open application period, a screening panel of Democratic state representatives will interview applicants to make a recommendation to the caucus, who will appoint a qualified applicant to serve the remainder of Crawley’s term, which runs through December 2022.