CLEVLEAND, Ohio – Returning and newly elected Cleveland City Council members opted to keep Ward 6 Councilman Blaine Griffin on as council president during a caucus meeting Friday morning.

Councilmembers-elect met as council’s Democratic caucus and unanimously picked Blaine for a second term as president, starting Jan. 5, when members will be sworn in and make the vote official.

Members also invoked the long-standing “unit rule” that compels the council to vote unanimously in January for the winner of Friday’s vote, or else be barred from future caucuses.

Following the vote, Griffin stressed unity as he accepted his nomination for another term, saying collaboration will be key as Cleveland faces financial challenges.

“Our strength is our unity,” Griffin said, according to cleveland.com

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