Board Members
The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections consists of four members each appointed to a four-year term by the Secretary of State. The board has two Democratic Party and two Republican Party members.
Jeff Hastings, Chairman
Republican Party
jhastings@cuyahogacounty.us
216.344.8300
• Attorney At Law: Of Counsel at Collins & Scanlon, LLP
• Former Judge; General Division Cuyahoga County Court of
Common Pleas
• Former Managing Attorney; Office of the Ohio Attorney General
• The Free Medical Clinic of Greater Cleveland; Board Member
Chairman, Advocacy Committee (03/06 - 12/08)
• Cleveland-Marshall College of Law; Juris Doctor, 12/90
• Baldwin-Wallace College; M.B.A., 6/87
• Ashland University; B.A. Pol. Sci./Economics, 5/82
Inajo Davis Chappell, Member
Democratic Party
ichappell@cuyahogacounty.us
216.443.6436
Inajo Davis Chappell, Democratic appointee, is a partner with the Ulmer & Berne law firm of Cleveland. Inajo is Chair of her firm’s Nonprofit Group. Her legal practice focuses on corporate and real estate law and she represents both private and public sector clients. Inajo was named an "Ohio Super Lawyer" in January 2007 in a survey of Ohio lawyers conducted by Law and Politics and Cincinnati magazines. She is an active community volunteer and has served on a number of boards of local charitable organizations. Chappell holds a bachelor's degree from Yale University and a law degree from Columbia University.
Mayor Deborah Sutherland, Member
Republican Party
dsutherland@cuyahogacounty.us
216.443.6431
Mayor Sutherland, the longest serving mayor in the history of Bay Village, was elected President of the Cuyahoga County Mayors and Managers Association in 2006 and re-elected in 2007. In that position, she has advocated for regional cooperation and has served on many task forces to improve Northeast Ohio including those dealing with economic development and alternative energy. Her efforts were recognized by Crain’s Cleveland Business, who named her one of 2007’s “Women of Note” and one of the 2007 “Power Pack 50” denoting the 50 most influential people in Northeast Ohio. In 2008, she was included as one of Inside Business’s “100 Most Influential People” and was recognized by Cleveland Magazine as one of 50 “Influentials” changing life in NEO. In 2006, Mayor Sutherland received the Community Service Award from the Western Region of the Cleveland Clinic. She is also an active community volunteer and has served on a number of boards of local charitable organizations.
Mayor Sutherland has a BA from Bowling Green State University and spent many years in retail management and retail executive recruitment. In 2002, she was selected as “Outstanding Fellow” for CSU’s Leadership Academy XI. In 2003, she received the Westshore League of Women Voters “Woman of the Year” award and was selected for the prestigious Leadership Cleveland Class of 2004. Mayor Sutherland recently completed her Master in Public Administration at CSU’s Levin College of Urban Affairs.
Eben O. (Sandy) McNair, IV, Member
Democratic Party
emcnair@cuyahogacounty.us
216.443.6437
Mr. McNair received his B.A. from St. Lawrence University with a double major in Philosophy and History. He holds a Master’s Degree from the University of Chicago’s Committee on the Analysis of Ideas and Study of Methods. He received his J.D. from Cornell University.
Since 1980, he has represented public and private sector labor unions, employee benefit plans and individuals in employment related matters. He is an attorney with Schwarzwald McNair & Fusco LLP and a Democratic precinct committee person and City Leader for Brecksville.
Jane M. Platten, Director
jplatten@cuyahogacounty.us
216.443.6485
Jane Platten has served as the Director of the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections since 2007. Since being appointed Director, all agency operations have been overhauled and the successful transition from an electronic voting system to an optical scan paper ballot system has been completed.
Jane has demonstrated a committed focus on the implementation of best practices in the areas of election administration, pre-election ballot and system testing and post election auditing. Jane is a member of the Election Verification Network and has participated in national and state post election audit workgroups.
Jane has served as a speaker for the Pew Charitable Trust Foundation/Electionline 2008 National Journalists Forum, the Ohio Election Officials Association, and the 2009 Ohio Election Reform Summits. Her election expertise has been tapped by local and national news outlets and she has been featured in the New York Times, Congressional Quarterly and The Washington Post. Jane is a member of the Leadership Cleveland Class of 2010.
Pat McDonald, Deputy Director
pmcdonald@cuyahogacounty.us
216.443.6411
Pat McDonald was appointed Deputy Director of the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections in July of 2007. A native Ohioan, he is a graduate of the University of Dayton. Pat holds both a Bachelor of Arts degree as well as a Master’s degree in Public Administration. He is a Certified Public Financial Manager with an established public service history. Pat served for eight years as Finance Director for the Ohio Secretary of State, and was Assistant Director for the Ohio Department of Commerce before becoming Deputy State Treasurer. He brings over twenty years of administrative and executive management experience to the Board of Elections. Pat is a proven leader in the elections industry. He has testified before the General Assembly on elections issues, and is an active member of the Ohio Association of Election Officials. Pat is committed to provide voting services that are accurate and transparent in a cost-effective manner.
Staff