Unofficial Election Results are in (despite most precincts reporting 100% of ballots counted) and absentee ballots have been counted. As early as 12:57 am, results showed many changes are coming down the pipeline for Clevelanders, although only 30.4% of registered voters participated in this election. Local issues, such as the Cleveland Public Library Levy Issue 60 and the Cuyahoga Community College Issue 61, passed with a strong 68% of votes in favor of the issue.

In spite of less than one-third of voter turnout, all Clevelanders will feel the effects of this election.

Cleveland City Council's first Latina member

Incumbent Brian Cummins, council member for Ward 14 -- including parts of Brooklyn, Clark-Fulton, Stockyard, Tremont, and Cudell neighborhoods -- faced a stunning upset when local challenger Jasmin Santana, snatched the victory by only 48 votes, or 2.4%. Santana is the first Latina to serve on Cleveland City Council, despite the city's 10% population, according to the 2010 Census. With Santana's election, she brings a platform of increased neighborhood services, and healthier and safer neighborhoods for Ward 14 residents.

Santana was also featured in Crain's Cleveland Business 40 under 40 during her time as Community Engagement Coordinator at Hispanic Alliance Inc., giving her the civic engagement experience needed to secure the council seat.

Other incumbents breeze through while 2 are ousted by experienced contenders

Most other council members, such as Kevin Kelley, Dona Brady, Blaine Griffin, Anthony Brancatelli, Martin J. Keane, Kevin Conwell, Brian Kazy and Matt Zone, maintained their seats by landslide votes with little left for the opposition. All received nearly 70-80% of the vote; it was not even close. Other officials, such as Kerry McCormack, and Michael Polensek, blew the competition out of the political waters with nearly 90% of the vote while Phyllis Cleveland of Ward 5 and Kenneth L. Johnson, Sr. of Ward 4 struggled to maintain their seats, gaining 56-58% of the vote.

Ward 2 councilman Zach Reed and Ward 10 councilman Jeff Johnson gave up their council seats to challenge Frank Jackson as Mayor of Cleveland. They were replaced by Kevin L. Bishop, owner of Kadillac Transportation Service LLC, who received 72% of votes, and former Cuyahoga County Board Member Anthony T. Hairston, who earned 64% of votes, respectively.

Former councilman Joseph T. Jones ran against Terrell H. Pruitt for Ward 1 councilman. Jones previously held the seat for Ward 1 20 years ago and put his hat in the ring against Pruitt, who has held the Ward 1 office for 9 years. In one of the tightest races in Cleveland history, Jones won by only 9 votes; less than .5%. As per Ohio voter law, if a candidate has a winning margin of less than half of one percent, the votes must be recounted and verified.

Currently, those 9 votes equal approximately .4%, winning by the skin of his teeth.

TJ Dow lost his Ward 7 seat to long-time political contender, Basheer Jones. Jones, known for his progressive ideas and grassroots civic engagement, claimed the position by only .62% of the voter's favor, or just 19 votes.

While Jones and Hairston bring years of political experience, both in and out of office, Santana and Jones convey a new message to Clevelanders: Change is not coming, it is already here.

As some things change, others remain the same, making history

In the Mayoral Race, Zach Reed won the primary opposite Cleveland Mayor, Frank Jackson. Some people felt that Reed's "Safety First" campaign slogan was inappropriate, citing his former D.U.I.'s and support of bringing policy closely mirroring New York City's Stop-and-Frisk, that has been statistically proven to target Black and Latino males disproportionately.

Jackson's "Action You Can Trust" campaign slogan was also criticized, but to no avail. Jackson defeated Reed with nearly 60% of voters in favor of Jackson, making Frank Jackson Cleveland's longest serving mayor, should he finish his term.

History has been made and while change has come, one thing is clear in Cleveland: one vote really can make a difference.