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This time next year, the city of Cleveland might have a new mayor for the first time in 16 years.

The primary election is not until September, but candidates are already raising money and collecting signatures to get their names on the ballot.

Speaking with All Things Considered host Tony Ganzer, ideastream鈥檚 Nick Castele offered an early look at the state of the race. 

First of all: four-term incumbent Mayor Frank Jackson. Is he going for a fifth?

Well, that鈥檚 the big question right now. He has already served longer than any other mayor of Cleveland, with four, four-year terms almost completed here under his belt. He鈥檚 been able to win reelection three times now. Probably his toughest race was his first one, in 2005, when he unseated Mayor Jane Campbell.

He has not publicly said yet what he鈥檚 going to do. When he was asked about it in December, he basically punted.

鈥淚f I said I was running, the target, political target would be so large that I couldn鈥檛 get anything done by dealing with the BS and the drama of it,鈥� Jackson said. 鈥淎nd if I said I wasn鈥檛 running, then I couldn鈥檛 even get a phone call returned, probably not even from you.鈥�

So a very Mayor Jackson answer there. We鈥檙e still waiting for him to lay out his plans. But he and the other candidates do have some time here. The filing deadline is not until the middle of June.

As you say, there are other candidates, a number of them have already floated the idea of a possible bid 鈥� including the potential return of Dennis Kucinich. What do we know so far about his plans?

What we know is that last month, he formed a fundraising committee. He鈥檚 calling it the 鈥淩e-elect Mayor Kucinich Committee.鈥� That鈥檚 reelection to a job he hasn鈥檛 held in more than 40 years. But it鈥檚 looking like he鈥檚 shaping a message actually the same issue that came to define his one term as mayor, and that鈥檚 Cleveland Public Power, which was known then as Muny Light.

He鈥檚 writing a book about his effort in the 70s to prevent it from being privatized. And he鈥檚 been speaking out a lot more recently on CPP. He鈥檚 been criticizing the city for resuming utility shutoffs, for instance. Although for all that, has not formally said whether he is in fact going to run for mayor yet.

Another possible contender is the president of Cleveland City Council, Kevin Kelley. And he appears to be gathering a war chest.  

Kelley put out a press release earlier this month saying that he has raised about half a million dollars. That鈥檚 not insubstantial for a local mayoral race. It鈥檚 a bit more than Frank Jackson had on hand about this time in 2017, which was his last race.

Now it鈥檚 probably going to take a lot more money than that to win. But Kelley told me this wants he wants people to know that he鈥檚 serious about this race.

鈥淚 think that the city really needs a mayor, a leader that has the combination of experience, vision, and really wants to do the job and really cares about this city,鈥� Kelley said. 鈥淪o hopefully people see me as that person.鈥�

Now, Kelley has also not officially said he鈥檚 definitely hitting the gas on this campaign. But he says right now he鈥檚 building up his campaign apparatus, moving toward making a decision.

Four years ago, it seems oh so long ago, we had a total of nine candidates on the ballot for Cleveland mayor. Are we in for another crowded field, do you think?

It鈥檚 definitely possible, and there are a few other candidates who will bring some name recognition to this race.

. She represents much of the East Side of Cleveland, parts of the West Side and some suburbs. She also has not declared a candidacy yet, but is worth keeping an eye on. Zack Reed, former city councilman who was the runner up in 2017 against Frank Jackson, another person to watch.

And one first-time candidate for office who may have some pull is Justin Bibb. He鈥檚 33 years old, used to work for Key Bank, sits on the RTA board, and in his announcement this month, he pitched himself as a fresh face for Cleveland.

鈥淭his movement is for us. Cleveland can鈥檛 wait, we can鈥檛 wait and I can鈥檛 wait,鈥� Bibb said.

In addition to those, there鈥檚 a number of other people have pulled petitions, or who are thinking about getting into the race. They鈥檝e all got some time to get on the ballot.

The nonpartisan primary will be in September, and the top two vote-getters go on to the general election in November.