Candidate for: Hamilton County Commissioner
Party: Democrat
Incumbent
Stephanie Summerow Dumas is an incumbent candidate for Hamilton County commissioner. She previously served as the vice-mayor and mayor of Forest Park from 1993 to 2005; and as the village manager of Lincoln Heights from 2011 to 2015.
In 2018, Summerow Dumas beat then-incumbent Hamilton County commissioner Chris Monzel. She won her second term in 2022. She is currently serving as president of the commission.
Summerow Dumas faces Herman Najoli and Meeka Owens in the Democratic primary on May 5. The winner of that race will move on to the General Election in November against Republican Jonathan Pearson.
In an interview with LINK nky before the upcoming May Democratic primary, the commissioner spoke on her history outside of politics, her achievements while in office, and the beliefs that ground her.
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“I’ve been a social worker for 48 years,” Summerow Dumas said. In 1977, she graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a B.S. in the field. She was awarded the Social Work Distinguished Alumni Award from the school in 2024; along with the Bridge Builders award from Best Point Education and Behavioral Health in 2025.
She has also published three books focusing on her Christian faith, politics and advocating for survivors of domestic violence.
Summerow Dumas pointed to multiple accomplishments during her tenure; starting with being the first African American woman county commissioner in the state of Ohio. She also highlighted her work with county rent and food assistance programs, disability and re-entry housing and youth initiatives. The new Bengals lease and Regional Safety Training Complex as two infrastructural achievements that Summerow Dumas mentioned.
If re-elected, the commissioner said she would be working on the construction of the Marriott Convention Headquarters Hotel across from the Duke Energy Convention Center, expanding the county animal shelter, funding job and family resources, and building more housing; all while balancing the county budget.
As for what she believes?
“I believe in positivity, integrity, honesty, fairness, transparency, being a team player, flexibility, goodwill and hard work,” Summerow Dumas said.