State Rep. Munira Abdullahi has pulled a mayoral petition from the Franklin County Board of Elections, signaling she's laying the groundwork for a possible 2027 run for Columbus mayor even as she simultaneously seeks reelection to her Ohio House seat. The move adds another name to an already crowded field looking to challenge Mayor Andrew Ginther, who is seeking a fourth term.
Abdullahi's potential candidacy was reported by The Columbus Dispatch, which detailed that the Columbus Democrat is exploring the mayoral race while also seeking reelection to the Ohio House of Representatives for District 9. She has held that seat since 2023. On Tuesday, she faces Republican Bruce Euans in the District 9 race.
Abdullahi did not immediately respond to messages requesting comment Monday, according to the same Dispatch report. If she ultimately runs, she would join the field seeking to become Columbus mayor.
A Crowded Field Takes Shape
Abdullahi isn't the only one eyeing Ginther's job. Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin has already announced his candidacy, a move he made public in August, according to WOSU Public Media. Hardin was appointed to city council in 2014 and rose to become council president in 2018; he has said public education would be his top priority if elected mayor. Hardin's campaign was not immediately available to comment on Abdullahi's potential entry into the race, per the Dispatch report.
At the time of Hardin's announcement, it was still unclear whether anyone else would challenge Ginther, per the WOSU report. That changed by September, when a Dispatch snippet indicated at least six more potential candidates were eyeing the 2027 race beyond Ginther and Hardin. The Dispatch's more recent reporting now says six political outsiders have pulled petitions to run for mayor as well.
How the Race Will Be Decided
Columbus mayoral candidates must collect at least 1,000 valid signatures and file a petition by February 3, 2027, to qualify for the ballot, according to the Dispatch. All candidates run in the same primary regardless of party. If more than two candidates qualify for the ballot, a primary election will be held.
A separate Franklin County Board of Elections schedule lists Primary Election Day as May 4, 2027. The board's separate petition guidance warns that a petition cannot be accepted for filing if it appears on its face to contain more than the maximum number of signatures permitted, though the board notes its guidance isn't legal advice and recommends candidates consult an attorney experienced in election law.
For now, Abdullahi's mayoral ambitions remain speculative — she has pulled papers but has not been reported to have formally announced a candidacy. With her Ohio House race on the ballot this week and the mayoral filing deadline months away, Columbus voters will have time to see whether she, Hardin, Ginther, and the six other potential outsiders all end up competing for the city's top office next spring.
