NORTH ROYALTON – Just a little over a week into her role as the newly appointed Ward 5 councilwoman, Cheryl Hannan is already making good on her promise to seek the seat long term.

Hannan, 57, formally pulled petitions Feb. 3 at the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections.

“I pulled petitions early to show my commitment to my ward,” she said. “Having previous election experience, I know the hard work ahead of me to retain the seat. I wanted to hit the ground running. I intend to work hard to serve my fellow Ward 5 residents and to be the best representative that I can be.”

Hannan, who has been a resident 30 years, is no stranger to public service having served as the mayor’s appointment to planning commission from 2011 to 2017, on the North Royalton Board of Education from 2003 to 2011 and at her day job as an attorney at the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.

Last month, she replaced former Ward 5 Councilman Steve Muller who stepped down from the seat Dec. 31 to move outside the city. After an hour-long interview process Jan. 24, city council appointed Hannan and she was sworn in that same evening.

All six ward seats are up for re-election Nov. 7.

So far Ward 1 Councilman John Nickell, Ward 3 Councilman Dan Langshaw and Hannan have each expressed their intent to seek election by pulling petitions early.

Each ward councilperson must secure 50 valid signatures from registered voters in their specific ward to formally file as a candidate. The filing deadline is Aug. 9.

Council President Larry Antoskiewicz is not up for re-election because his seat is a four-year term.

Ward seats are two-year terms.