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Kevin Boyce

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For the paleobotanist, see C. Kevin Boyce.

Kevin Boyce
Member of the Franklin County Commission
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2017
Preceded byPaula Brooks
Member of the Ohio House of Representatives
from the 25th district
In office
May 6, 2012 – December 31, 2016
Preceded byW. Carlton Weddington
Succeeded byBernadine Kent
47th Treasurer of Ohio
In office
January 7, 2009 – January 9, 2011
GovernorTed Strickland
Preceded byRichard Cordray
Succeeded byJosh Mandel
Member of the Columbus City Council
In office
September 11, 2000 – January 6, 2009
Preceded byFrederick Ransier
Succeeded byMichelle Mills
Personal details
Born (1971-10-05) October 5, 1971 (age 53)
Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseEmilia Strong Sykes
Children2
EducationUniversity of Toledo (BA)
Central Michigan University (MPA)
WebsiteCampaign website

Kevin L. Boyce (born October 5, 1971[1]) is an American politician and a member of the Democratic Party who currently serves as President of the Franklin County Board of Commissioners. Formerly, he was a member of the Ohio House of Representatives from the 25th District from 2012 to 2016, a member of Columbus City Council, and was the 47th Ohio State Treasurer from 2009 to 2010.

In the March 2016 Democratic primary election, Boyce was selected as the Democratic nominee to run for incumbent Paula Brooks' seat on the Franklin County, Ohio Board of Commissioners in the 2016 general election. Boyce ran for, and was elected to a second term in 2020.[2]

Education

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Boyce graduated from Columbus East High School in 1990.[3] He obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of Toledo in 1995 and a Master of Public Administration degree from Central Michigan University in 2004.[4][5]

Career

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Prior to holding political office, Boyce was the executive director of the KnowledgeWorks Foundation, a nonprofit organization that promotes college access for high school students.[5] He was also the executive director of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus from 1997 to 1999.[4][5] He managed Charleta B. Tavares' unsuccessful campaign for Ohio Secretary of State in 1998, and was Chief of Staff for the Minority Caucus of the Ohio House of Representatives from January 1999 to September 2000.[6]

On September 11, 2000, Boyce was appointed to Columbus City Council. He was elected to one of three open Council seats in the November 6, 2001 election and won another four-year Council term on November 8, 2005.[6] On the council, Boyce ultimately served as President pro Tempore and as Chairman of the Finance and Zoning Committees.[7][8]

On December 23, 2008, Democratic Governor Ted Strickland announced Boyce's appointment as Ohio State Treasurer, to replace Richard Cordray, who left office in November 2008 to become Ohio Attorney General.[9][8] On January 8, 2009, Boyce was sworn into office, becoming the first African-American Democrat to hold a statewide, non-judicial office in Ohio.[6][8] In July 2009, the Dayton Daily News published an article alleging that Boyce had spent $32,469 on promotional items with his name on them. Despite Boyce's arguments that such practices were common for political officeholders and that he had spent 30% less than did his predecessor on such items, Boyce's Republican opponent in the 2010 campaign, state Rep. Josh Mandel, charged that the expenditures were inappropriate given the state's budget difficulties.[10] Boyce also was criticized for hiring Democratic party operatives for several positions within his office.[10]

Boyce was further questioned for awarding a $160,000 per year contract to Key Bank for processing the state's checks. While Ohio had previously processed its own checks for 100 years, Boyce expected that the new contract would save approximately $83,000 per year through increased interest earnings. The contract was awarded in a competitive bid process, but critics questioned it because two Key Bank lobbyists held a $500 per ticket fundraiser for Boyce one week after the contract was awarded.[11]

State Treasurer

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Boyce ran for the Treasurer's position for the first time during the 2010 midterm elections against Republican challenger Josh Mandel, but lost the election with 40.2% of the vote.[12]

After losing re-election in 2010, Boyce recommended his top aide, Amer Ahmad, to Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel for Comptroller of Chicago, even though Boyce had received federal subpoenas asking about Ahmad's involvement in contracts given to a Boston bank.[13] Ahmad was indicted in August 2013, charged with eight counts of bribery, wire fraud and conspiracy for his actions as Ohio deputy treasurer under Boyce.[14] Ahmad is a fugitive from justice in Pakistan. He was sentenced to 15 years in US prison, but is unlikely to be extradited.[15]

The National Council of Negro Women presented Boyce its Community Service Plaque in May 2004. He was honored by the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity and Leadership At Its Best LLC as an outstanding role model for young men in November 2004.[4]

Ohio House of Representatives

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When W. Carlton Weddington was indicted in a bribery scandal in early 2012, he resigned his seat, forcing House Democrats to appoint his successor. It was soon after announced that Boyce would be the appointee, chosen over a number of applicants. Boyce was sworn into office on May 6, 2012. In 2012, Boyce won his first full term in the House with 85.84% of the vote over Republican Seth Golding.

In 2014, Boyce won a second term with 81% of the vote, and was elected soon after to serve as Minority Whip as well. He was also the only Democrat to hold a Chairmanship in the 131st Ohio General Assembly, as the Chair of the Committee on Community and Family Advancement's Subcommittee on Minority Affairs.[16]

Committee assignments

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Franklin County Board of Commissioners

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In the March 15, 2016 Democratic primary election, Boyce defeated incumbent Paula Brooks in her bid for re-election to the Franklin County Board of Commissioners, receiving 58% of the vote to Brooks' 42%.[17] In an unusual move, the Franklin County Democratic Party endorsed Boyce rather than the incumbent Brooks, in part as a consequence of Brooks' support for county sheriff Zach Scott in his failed effort to oppose Andy Ginther, who received the party's endorsement for mayor of Columbus in the preceding general election. Scott was also defeated in the March 2016 primary election in his effort to continue as county sheriff.[18] Boyce then defeated his Republican opponent Terry Boyd in the November, 2016 general election.

On November 3, 2020, Boyce defeated his Republican challenger Andrew Littler to earn a 2nd term on the Franklin County, Ohio Board of Commissioners. He currently serves as President of the Franklin County Board of Commissioners.

Electoral history

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Election results
Year Office Election Votes for Boyce % Opponent Party Votes %
2001 Columbus City Council General 44,898 (3rd)* 20.90%
2005 General 63,467 (2nd)* 23.43%
2010 Ohio State Treasurer General 1,471,727 40.21% Josh Mandel Republican 2,008,892 54.89%
2012 Ohio House of Representatives General 40,005 85.84% Seth Golding Republican 6,599 14.16%
2014 General 18,317 81.66% Seth Golding Republican 4,115 18.34%
2016 Franklin County, Ohio Board of Commissioners Primary 71,225 57.84% Paula Brooks Democratic 51,913 42.16%
General 313,583 58.69% Terry Boyd Republican 220,754 41.31%
2020 General 392,675 64.78% Andrew Littler Republican 213,516 35.22%

* Top three are elected to Columbus City Council

References

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  1. ^ "Boyce's character was born in tragedy, many say". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  2. ^ Kovac, Marc. "O'Grady, Boyce headed toward new terms as Franklin County commissioners". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  3. ^ "Strickland announces appointment of Boyce as Treasurer of State". Port Clinton News Herald. Associated Press. December 23, 2008. p. 1. Retrieved December 23, 2008. [dead link]
  4. ^ a b c "Kevin L. Boyce". Columbus City Council. Archived from the original on April 15, 2008. Retrieved December 23, 2008.
  5. ^ a b c Bell, Jeff (December 13, 2008). "Columbus councilman named state treasurer". Business Courier of Cincinnati. p. 1. Retrieved December 23, 2008.
  6. ^ a b c Hallett, Joe (December 23, 2008). "Boyce to be next state treasurer". The Columbus Dispatch. p. 1. Archived from the original on February 8, 2013. Retrieved December 24, 2008.
  7. ^ Thornton, Pamela Glason. "Africa awaits Boyce". Columbus Post. p. 1. Archived from the original on June 24, 2009. Retrieved December 23, 2008.
  8. ^ a b c Majors, Stephen; Julie Carr Smyth (December 23, 2008). "Source: Boyce to be next Ohio Treasurer". Akron Beacon Journal. Associated Press. p. 1. Archived from the original on June 15, 2011. Retrieved December 23, 2008.
  9. ^ Provance, Jim (December 23, 2008). "University of Toledo graduate selected as Ohio treasurer". Toledo Blade. p. 1. Retrieved December 23, 2008.
  10. ^ a b Bischoff, Laura (June 13, 2009). "Critics: Ohio Treasurer shouldn't be spending on self-promotion". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved June 6, 2010.
  11. ^ Bischoff, Laura (July 28, 2009). "Ohio treasurer gives bank contract, gets political fundraiser". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved June 6, 2010.
  12. ^ Scott, Michael (November 3, 2010). "Republican challenger Josh Mandel crushes incumbent Kevin Boyce in Ohio treasurer's race". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved November 4, 2010.
  13. ^ Byrne, John (August 27, 2013). "Mayor says he wouldn't have hired Ahmad if he knew of probe : Emanuel blames Ohio officials for lack of information". Chicago Tribune.
  14. ^ "Emanuel's ex-Comptroller Amer Ahmad indicted in Ohio". Crain's Chicago Business. August 15, 2013.
  15. ^ Gray, Kathy Lynn (December 2, 2014). "Former state official Ahmad, now in Pakistan, faces 15 years in prison here". Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
  16. ^ "Debate over Ohio's shift from income tax to sales tax continues". Columbus Dispatch. March 1, 2015. Retrieved March 2, 2015.
  17. ^ Rick Rouan (March 16, 2016). "Sheriff Zach Scott among Democrats swept from Franklin County offices". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved March 17, 2016.
  18. ^ Rick Rouan (March 17, 2016). "Democratic Party hierarchy flexes its muscle in Franklin County primary". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved March 17, 2016.
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Party political offices
Preceded by Democratic nominee for Ohio State Treasurer
2010 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Treasurer of Ohio
2009–2011 		Succeeded by
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