So, you’re trying to figure out who is calling the shots in the Queen City right now? If you’ve spent any time in Ohio lately, you know the political scene can get pretty wild. But when it comes to the top spot at City Hall, the answer is Aftab Pureval.
He’s the 70th Mayor of Cincinnati.
Honestly, he’s been a bit of a local political rockstar since he first burst onto the scene. He isn't just another suit; Pureval is actually the first Asian-American mayor in the city’s history. That’s a pretty big deal for a city that’s historically been fairly traditional. He first took the oath back in January 2022, and if you're looking at the calendar today in early 2026, he’s still the guy in charge.
Actually, he just won a pretty high-profile re-election battle in November 2025. He went up against Cory Bowman—who, interestingly enough, is the half-brother of Vice President JD Vance—and Pureval ended up winning by a massive margin. Like, 78% to 22% massive. It wasn't even close.
Who is Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval?
If you want to understand the man, you’ve gotta look at where he came from. He wasn't born into a political dynasty. Aftab was born in Xenia, Ohio, and grew up in Beavercreek. His family story is basically the American Dream on paper. His dad, Devinder Singh Pureval, moved here from India, and his mom, Drenko, was a refugee from Tibet.
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He’s talked before about how his background shaped him, especially dealing with some pretty nasty anti-immigrant rhetoric even back in high school.
Before he was the Cincinnati Mayor, he was a powerhouse attorney. He did the whole "big law" thing at White & Case LLP and eventually landed a gig as a global brand attorney for Procter & Gamble. Yeah, the Olay guy. But he didn't stay in the corporate world forever. He jumped into public service as the Hamilton County Clerk of Courts in 2017, where he basically spent his time trying to modernize a system that was stuck in the dark ages.
He lives in Clifton with his wife, Whitney, who is an internal medicine doctor, and their two sons, Bodhi and Rami. They’re very much a "Cincy family."
The 2025 Election: A Reality Check
Even though the final vote count looked like a blowout, the 2025 race wasn't exactly a walk in the park.
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Public safety was a massive sticking point. In the summer of 2025, there was a violent incident in downtown Cincinnati that really shook people up. The local police union actually gave Pureval a "vote of no confidence" in August of that year. People were worried. The campaign turned into a debate about whether the city was becoming less safe under his watch.
Pureval’s response? He leaned into his "Alternative Response" model.
Instead of just sending police to every single 911 call, his administration started sending mental health professionals to non-violent situations. He argued this freed up the actual cops to focus on violent crime. Whether you love the idea or hate it, it’s clearly what the voters chose to stick with.
What has he actually done for the city?
A lot of people ask what a mayor actually does all day. In Pureval's case, he’s obsessed with a few specific things:
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- Housing, housing, and more housing: He’s been pushing hard on "Connected Communities," which is basically a fancy way of saying they’re changing zoning laws to allow for more apartments and multi-family homes near transit lines.
- The Railway Sale: This was huge. Cincinnati sold its Southern Railway to Norfolk Southern for $1.6 billion. Pureval championed this, and now that money is sitting in a trust fund, with the interest being used to fix basic stuff like potholes, bridges, and parks.
- Climate Change: He wants the city to be carbon neutral by 2050. He's been pushing for green energy jobs and making sure the city is a "climate haven" for people moving away from coastal disasters.
Is he going to run for something else?
That’s the million-dollar question in Ohio politics.
Because he’s young, charismatic, and leads one of the state's biggest blue hubs, people are always whispering about him running for Governor or the U.S. Senate. For now, he seems focused on his second term, which officially ends in January 2030.
But keep an eye on him. In a state that has trended increasingly red over the last decade, Pureval is one of the few Democrats who has shown he can win—and win big—in a major metropolitan area.
Practical Steps for Cincinnati Residents
If you live in the city and want to get involved or need help from the Mayor's office, you don't have to just shout into the void.
- Use the 311 System: If there’s a pothole or a trash issue in your neighborhood, the 311 Cincy app is actually the fastest way to get on the city's radar.
- Neighborhood Summits: Pureval’s office holds regular meetings across the 52 neighborhoods. Check the city’s official website for the next "State of the City" or town hall.
- Council Meetings: The Mayor presides over City Council. If you really want to see how the sausage is made, you can show up at City Hall or watch the livestreams.
Whether you're a fan of his policies or a skeptic of the "Connected Communities" plan, Aftab Pureval is the face of Cincinnati for the foreseeable future. Understanding his background and his priorities is the first step to knowing where the city is headed next.