YOUNGSTOWN — Councilwoman Anita Davis, D-6th Ward, is facing Rich Yaslik, an automotive dealership parts manager, in the Nov. 4 election for Youngstown council president — a position with limited power.

Yaslik filed as an independent while Davis, a member of council since 2016, beat Councilman Mike Ray, D-4th Ward, in the Democratic primary.

Also, Alex Rubino of South Schenley Avenue filed as a write-in candidate for the position.

Early voting is ongoing. The election is Nov. 4.

Council president has little responsibility under the city charter.

The president runs city council meetings but doesn’t get a vote.

The president also becomes mayor and fills out the unexpired term if a vacancy occurs. That happened once in the city’s history when Jay Williams resigned as mayor in August 2011 to work for the administration of then-President Barack Obama and Charles Sammarone, council president, took the position.

Council President Tom Hetrick, a Democrat, chose not to seek reelection this year. He was elected in 2021.

Davis, who is serving her third term on city council, wants to see the president’s position restructured, though that would take a vote during an election to change the city charter.

“The position of city council president should be changed and expanded beyond just chairing meetings,” Davis said. “The president’s new role would include a seat at all of the mayor’s staff meetings and the right to vote in the case of a tie in city council, thereby eliminating the current nonvoting status.”

Davis, 71, a retired Youngstown police detective sergeant, also wants council president to be permitted to sponsor legislation.

Yaslik, parts manager at Kufleitner Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Boardman, said: “While official duties of council president are limited, I will make sure that the council representatives do the job that they were elected to do. I will make sure they answer constituent phone calls, respond to emails and listen to concerns of ward residents.”

Yaslik, 56, said he would act as another line of communication for city residents.

Yaslik said: “The goals that I have for our city will require open lines of communication with our council and administration. I hope to play a part in the creation of legislation and use my business management skills and experience to work with my fellow elected leaders.”

Yaslik ran as an independent in 2023 for 5th Ward councilman against Democrat Pat Kelly. Yaslik received 32.9% of the vote.

If elected council president, Yaslik said he would be an “independent voice for all city wards. I will work with our council and the administration to facilitate growth and increase safety for our city.”

Yaslik said: “The growth and revitalization of Youngstown is contingent on the people we elect to lead us and it is my belief that the best candidates for this task are those who possess a strong business background. I feel that I exhibit this quality and look forward (to) the opportunity to showcase it.”

Davis said her top priorities are safety and economic growth.

“Our goal should be to make communities safer by leveraging modern technology — expanding the use of home security systems and creating a real-time public safety app that links residents and emergency services,” she said.

Davis said the city’s economic development department could offer free or low-cost classes on website designing and marketing in collaboration with other organizations and the city could operate its own billboard, which would offer city businesses a place to advertise at a reasonable price.

Yaslik wants to encourage the city’s economic development department to “aggressively pursue and provide incentives” for professionals, such as doctors, lawyers and financial planners to relocate to vacant space downtown. The employees and clients of those businesses, he said, would provide downtown with “a stable and constant stream of traffic, and increase the opportunity for growth in the retail sector and residency.”