Trusted Advocate, Proven Leader.
"I believe that to ensure a bright future for our children and grandchildren, we must be politically engaged at the local level."
Merisa Bowers has been involved in local activism for almost two decades, building and moving community to action.
She is invested in and committed to Gahanna and shares your concerns with the issues we face today and in the future.
Why I'm Running
Gahanna, our region, and our country, are all at a critical point.
We must take action to both protect our special community and help it achieve its incredible potential.
As demonstrated by my first term in office, I bring thoughtful perspective, willingness to challenge the status quo, and a clear vision to see the existing assets and bright future of our City and our region.
Protect our Assets, Leverage our Opportunities.
With over 35,000 residents, more per capita parkland than average, three ecologically important waterways, and a growing regional population, Gahanna has a lot at stake and so much to protect. Our quality of life and vibrant residents afford Gahanna much opportunity, too. Through policymaking, we can balance the need to protect and leverage our assets.
Active Engagement, Meaningful Inclusion.
I'm asking my neighbors to re-elect me because Gahanna deserves elected officials who communicate with integrity and who govern transparently. As a council member, I have and will continue to ensure that you know how & why I vote, and that you are included in deliberations.
I'm running for re-election because Gahanna needs leadership that reflects the diversity of its residents and the experience I bring to the role. Broad experiences and exposure create knowledge and empathy.
Values
Policy is important. Values even more.
Merisa went to law school to fight for people and she has walked the walk on the Midwestern values she was raised with.
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GOOD STEWARDSHIP: Take care of what we have.
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SERVICE: Raise others up and put their needs before our own.
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FAIRNESS AND COMPASSION: Strive toward perfecting systems and processes that deliver justice and dignity, with empathy.
Build Bridges
Whether working with neighborhood groups, corporate partners, neighboring townships and municipalities, or the school district, the City must operate with an awareness of its place in the fabric of Central Ohio.
Policies and Goals
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Improve the Relationship between the City and the School District.
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Work with surrounding Townships to improve quality of life for all residents and partner where feasible to reduce costs.
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Be at the table when issues affecting our Region are being discussed.
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Build and maintain relationships with public and private sector leaders.
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Expand public-private partnerships in Gahanna, including local business support of public amenities.
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Build and Improve relationships between the City and our most important business community: locally owned small to mid size companies who employ our friends and neighbors.
Restore Public Trust
Too often, elected officeholders take for granted the trust that voters have given. Unethical, criminal conduct at the state and federal levels have breached that trust over the last decade, and it's up to us to fight for democracy.
New technology, publicly accessible data, and fresh activism can more effectively assist people to hold their representatives accountable and rebuild trust in democratic institutions.
Regardless of political party, the value of transparency is crucial to good governance. Trust will only be restored with transparent data, transparent dialogue, and meaningful citizen engagement.
Policies and Goals
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Continue to improve streaming and access to public meetings through technology.
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Continue high quality of Meeting Minutes to accurately reflect deliberations with access to video recordings of public meetings.
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Continue more dialogue on the public record and with community members.
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Implement standing community hours that enable and empower all residents to be engaged at a meaningful level.
Put People First
Long-term success requires smart and sustainable investment in every part of Gahanna and across our diverse communities. Whether supporting our aging Boomer population, seeing Gen Xers and Millennials through life’s ups and downs, or guiding Gen Z into happy and healthy adulthood, our successes and growth are shared. As a community, we are interconnected.
We must prioritize the welfare, safety, and security of all of Gahanna's residents not just in talk but in deed.
Policies and Goals
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Improve and fund community-based and proactive policing policies that include implementing common sense reforms.
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Invest in infrastructure projects that have a bigger impact to our community such as to improve safe walkability, flooding mitigation, and sustainable development that serves actual community needs.
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Hold developers accountable to their promises to residents and to follow industry-best environmental practices.
About Me
Meet Merisa Bowers
Merisa is a proud daughter of Ohio, hailing from the rust belt city of Canton.
Merisa started college at the University of Cincinnati in the wake of the September 11 attacks, and while the city was still reeling from unrest and boycotts after the killing of an unarmed Black youth in 2001. This shaped her college experience, becoming engaged in civic planning and community organizing. Merisa graduated with a degree in political science and international human rights with departmental honors. After graduation, she began work at a large law firm in Cincinnati and remained active in community organizations and political action.
In 2009, Merisa graduated from Case Western Reserve University School of Law (Cleveland, Ohio), cum laude, having studied constitutional rights, administrative, and criminal law. During law school, she clerked for a Federal District Court Judge in Akron and at a small firms in the Cleveland area, where she excelled in issues related to government overreach and violations of people's constitutional rights.
Graduating law school in the height of the recession, Merisa moved back to Cincinnati where she was mentored by civil litigators and criminal defense attorneys, and then to Central Ohio in 2012. For over a decade, she focused her legal practice on advocating for families. She now works as risk mitigation counsel in the legal profession.
Merisa is married to Curtis, who has been a first responder for over 20 years, and together they have a 6 year old son. They chose Gahanna in 2012 to raise their family because of its diversity, rootedness, strong schools, and great community. Merisa's parents also joined the Gahanna community, where they are active volunteers with the Central Ohio Beekeepers Association, Prevention Action Alliance, and Gahanna Democrats & Friends.
In 2019, Merisa ran for a seat on the Gahanna City Council, winning the race as the top vote-getter. She began her first term on Gahanna City Council in 2020. In 2021, she served as the Vice President of Council, chairing the Committee of the Whole. She continues to serve as the liaison to the Gahanna-Jefferson School Board. On City Council, Merisa delivers constituent-centered representation, making herself accessible to residents and stakeholders, building bridges with neighboring communities, and helping create policy that advances the success and well-being of all residents.
Merisa is a member of the Ohio State Bar Association, the Gahanna Area Chamber of Commerce, Gahanna Moms Network, and a past board member of the Gahanna Foundation. She regularly supports Make Gahanna Yours, the Gahanna Parks and Recreation Foundation, and the Gahanna Jefferson Education Foundation and PTOs across the District. Find Merisa and her family at the Farmers Market, Creekside, or having fun at one of our many beautiful public parks.
2023 Endorsements
Thank you to ALL supporting organizations: U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown Canary Candidate and American Works State & Local PAC Franklin County Democratic Party Gahanna Democrats & Friends Franklin County Young Democrats Ohio Democratic Party Pride Caucus The Matriots PAC Central Ohio Labor Council - AFL-CIO AFSCME Politics in Action Ohio The Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund Baptist Ministerial Alliance of Columbus Vicinity Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate
Let's Talk
I want to hear from you. Send me a message, email me, or call me to hear more about my campaign.
614-342-0040
